Pines and Nettles
by zonepan
Summary: (Rewritten lmao) Norman Babcock hadn't expected to become a music star when he moved to Portland, but after realizing the benefits it quickly took over his life. And then they came along, and even though it had only been a few days, they captured him in their crazy adventures and drew him back into the supernatural world he thought he'd left behind.
1. Chapter 1

Norman had never been a big fan of large spaces. Large spaces typically meant lots of ghosts. Lots of ghosts meant lots of voices, and Norman hated voices. As a kid, he'd been able to handle the specific set of ghosts that were everywhere in his town, and dealing with Aggie had really helped him and his family connect better, so that also adding to his ability to handle the constant barrage of death. But now, having moved out and begun living in Oregon so he can go to Portland University, had severely cut that ability to cope down. In bigger cities, there were always older ghosts, ones with stronger and more draining presences, and ghosts that were much more agitated; since he was the only medium in a radius of 50 miles in all directions, those more violent ghosts seemed to choose him as their new pass time rather then scare stupid teens and guests out of hotels and parking lots. Norman had lost so much sleep, his natural shade under his eyes had almost darkened to look like he was punched every other hour, and with how stressful life had become, it really felt like he was.

"Um, excuse me..."

And now, it was effecting his school life even more than before. Inconvenient hauntings every once and a while were one thing, but having constant tapping and knocking and whispers in his dorm and classes is a completely different story. He'd been wondering if he should just move back to Massachusetts.

"Hello?"

Mom and Dad assured him that if he really needed to, he could always come back home and take a break. Maybe he should call Courtney and ask if she wanted to spend spring break together, after all, she did say she would be free and it's coming up.

"Excuse me!" A swift rap on the table Norman had been resting his head for the last hour, shocked him enough to make him snap up, gasp a bit and look around wildly. He hadn't even noticed he'd begun to drift off. His eyes finally fell upon two girls, maybe two or three years younger standing beside his table, both looking rather amused and excited. Norman had a moment of amnesia, completely forgetting where he was and what he was doing, but a quick glance around reminded him of his favorite small coffee shop, Park Ave. Cafe.

"A-are you Norman Babcock?" One of the girls managed to stutter out without squealing.

"Uh... Yeah."

"Oh. My. God. Can we like, have your autograph? We've been to all of your shows since you played at Wonder!" The other rambled out excitedly, almost shivering from excitement. For a moment, all Norman could think was 'what are they talking about' before he regained the valuable input from his brain, reminding him of his current status around town.

"Oh, yeah, sure, why not." He shrugged, giving them a tired smile. They girls squealed and handed him a small notebook and a fuzzy pen that felt itchy like goose feathers in his grip- or maybe it was pins-and-needles from staying in the same position for so long. He scribbled his lazy signature onto the paper, and added a small picture of a ghost next to it. The girls chattered excitedly, snatching back the book, waving a bye and rushing out the door, probably to Instagram the signature or Tweet about it.

Even though it was torture to be in a city like this, surrounded by the dead and living, there was one thing that Norman found silence in. Ironically it was music. Now, he knew it sounded cheesy, he'd repeated the same, cookie cutter background story on every talk-show and radio station interview he'd ever had, but it was a true one. The love had bloomed a while after the incident with Aggie, when he was 13. On his birthday, his sister had given him her old iPod since she'd gotten a new one, and gave him a few iTunes gift cards to buy whatever. Norman had never really been into music, except for the creepy tunes of imminent doom in horror movies, so he was a bit oblivious at first. Over about a year, he'd developed this sudden need for it, though. Small, sound emitting buds in his ears drowned out almost, if not all, the white noise that seemed to fill the empty hours of his life- and the voices. Popping in the earbuds in class cancelled out a lot of his excessive thought procesess and actually helped him work better. Hours of homework began to feel like twenty because now he wasn't being constantly distracted by the dead asking him for favors. He could work when drowned in music.

When Norman had moved to Portland, he'd just spend a while strumming in his room on his old, acoustic guitar and hum songs to try and ward off bothersome noises. After a week, a couple of other guys down the hall of his dormitory, had confronted him about it, asking him if he was the one playing in the middle of the night. At first, Norman had thought they were going to complain, but they were pleased to hear it was him and asked if he wanted to play sometime with them. It had just been a hobby, a pastime so he didn't have to be alone on weekends, but when they played in garage of the frat house the members would let them use, they would always have people asking to come and listen. The frat boys eventually asked if they wanted to put on a show at some point to raise money for activities. That's where it started, the small side-career that had now become the center of Norman's social life.

Norman expected to hate it, because now he had more living people bothering him than dead, but once he made it clear he didn't like to be flooded by social invites, or be hassled by fans constantly, he was granted his wish. It wasn't that people ignored him, it was just that his new band buddies had taken extra care to make sure they're guitarist didn't feel pressured and quit. And Norman was fine with that. He became the quieter member and had a smaller fanbase than the others.

Now, admittedly, there was another reason Norman agreed. He realized, that first show, when he was under burning, blinding lights, surrounded in sound and vibration, there was no paranormal activity to bother him. Before, he could see when the ghosts would float into his room or garage, and could hear them just barely over the sound of music, but up on stage, when the lights from above and below him over-stimulated his eyes, he couldn't see. And on stage, the sound was so overwhelming, that nothing could break the barrier. And on stage, the amps emanated a beat that shook him just enough to not feel when ghosts would phase through him or touch him. Up on stage, he was numb to everything except the sound of music.

'Yeah,' he thought, taking a moment to turn and look out the window of the cafe,' music is the only relief'. And it really was. No other time was he able to concentrate on just one thing. He eagerly waited for concerts, shows, practice, and he was the one that urged his bandmates to play as hard and as loud as they can, while still sounding like organized music, of course. Music was his escape.

And nothing else gave him that.

* * *

><p><strong>NOTE:<strong>

**Yes! This is Parapines. This is just the prologue and I wanted to explain Normans background a bit before jumping into the story. Basically, Norman's a band kid who just so happens to be constantly seeing dead people haha. Dipper and Mabel will be in the next chapter, but I just need to build up background a bit. Yeah and uh there might be dumb romance in the future so don't be disappointed right now.**

**Shameless advertising- if you are interested I have a RotG fic y'all can check out whilst waiting for chapters yeee**


	2. Chapter 2

"Hey, Dipper, look! Cows! Maybe I should knit something with a cow pattern again... I wonder if cows would like knitted socks! How about you? Dip, do you need new socks? Ohh, what if I made socks that had little cow ears and a nose! Maybe I should knit a cow outfit for Waddles!" Mabel rambled on in the back seat of the car. Dipper had been listening to her babble for the last hour and honestly hoped that the next gas station would have sleeping aid. He glanced away from the road for a moment to eye Grunkle Stan, who'd been asleep since the first 30 minutes of their trip. He'd been getting more and more tired lately...

'No,' Dipper thought painfully, turning his attention back to the gravelly road in front of him,' don't think about that', he scolded himself for making himself upset, and instead turned back to pay attention to Mabels' rant.

"... Maybe I should make pig costumes for cows! Oh you know who would look good in a pig costume?" She asked slyly, leaning up to the back of the driver's seat.

"Don't even, Mabel." He warned, narrowing his eyes at the road, and gripping the steering wheel with agitation. He hated it when she brought up things like this.

"You would!~" She chimed happily. Dipper groaned angrily. "I mean you looked so cute when you were little in the Lammy costume! Oh, just imagine if you had been in a cute pig costume!" Mabel squealed, probably hopping in her seat.

"Ugh, Mabel, that was forever ago. I wish you wouldn't talk about that anymore..." He grunted.

"Oh, but it's just us! And Stan is out cold! I'm only teasing." She laughed, leaning back with a 'pap' against the seat.

"Yeah, well, what if I brought up-" Dipper began with a smirk, but was abruptly cut off by a bright 'ping' from Mabel's phone.

"Oh! K-ILL just tweeted their next showing! Dipper, we should go! It's at... The Aladdin Theater! Is that close to where we're staying? Oh please Dipper, you know I love them!" Mabel excitedly reported, giving Dipper's seat a gentle push. He glanced up in the rear-view mirror at her and sighed at her hopeful glance.

"Maybe." He gave in, knowing that 'maybe' would turn into 'yes', regardless of what he would try to say. Mabel hummed happily and slumped back into her seat. A good ten minutes passed before her voice rose again in the silent, confined space of the car.

"Dipper?"

"Yeah?"

"You know... I know you don't want me to be upset, but it's far more upsetting to see you try and handle this on your own..." She said quietly, and Dipper tensed against the soft hand that rested gently on his shoulder and grasped his shirt sleeve. He gripped the wheel, knuckles turning white and biting back the watery tension in his eyes.

"Y-yeah, I know... I'm sorry." Dipper replied, hoping his voice was as leveled as he hoped.

"I'm here for you, Dip." She murmured gently.

"Okay."

And that was it. Mabel retracted her hand and the rest of the ride to Portland was silent.

* * *

><p>Norman rubbed his temples roughly, trying to get the head-splitting migraine he had developed in the last hour to ease up and let him actually practice and play. He groaned and tensed, muscles quivering from the sudden stiffening.<p>

"Look, Norm, it's okay. We all know you know your part. Just go home man, and drink like honey-tea or something." A slight bounce on the cushion beside him and a gentle pat on the back told Norman that Isaac had taken his place next to him on the old couch. Norman was supposed to be practicing with them all, closing his eyes and melting back into the sound of bass, but he hadn't been able to stand, let alone play because of this migraine. He hated whenever this happened. It made him feel helpless and a burden to the people that helped him.

Mark grunted in agreement with the bassist from his position in front of the second mic while he messed with tuning his guitar. Carson chirped from behind his kit, " How about I drive you home? Where are your keys?" He tiptoed out from behind the drums and to stand in front of Norman and Isaac, giving a caring smile.

"I think that's a good idea. Hey, if you don't feel better by tomorrow, it's no big deal. We'll just postpone to Thursday, alright man?"

No it was most definitely not alright. Postponing meant upset fans. Postponing meant suffering in his room alone with nothing to do since he'd finished all his studying to take the day off beforehand. Postponing meant feeling obligated to go out and help dead people. But Norman couldn't articulate any of these good reasons, so all he said was-

"Yeh... Okay..." The other two men smiled, happy to not have any protest from their usually picky lead. Isaac gave Norman a good push from behind while Carson, pulled his arm over his shoulders. Norman desperately wanted to wave them off and tell them he was fully capable of walking on his own, but another throbbing pulse shot like a bullet through his skull and he cringed. They had been getting so much worse lately. Maybe it was the stress from all the sudden showings (they had gotten very popular in the last few months). Norman allowed himself to get babied all the way outside and into his car, but put on his seat belt himself after giving Carson a (accidental) shove backwards. Carson just laughed and went around to the drivers side and turned the engine over. Norman breathed heavily and reclined his seat to try and avoid pain from looking out a moving vehicle. It seemed like only a few seconds, though Norman lived a good 20 minutes away, to get back to his apartment complex. Carson helped him get out, get up stairs and everything. However, neither were prepared for the overly excited girl that came crashing down the staircase in her pajamas.

"DIPPER I SAW IT! IT WENT- Oof!" She barreled right into Norman, throwing him backwards and onto Carson who, thankfully, had just enough time to brace himself and stop the whole party from going down the last flight of stairs headfirst.

"What the hell?! Can't you look where you're going? Norman, god, are you okay, dude?" Carson hissed, pulling Norman back. Norman just groaned in pain and hunched over. He cursed in his head angrily. He shouted and screamed and threw a fit, but couldn't manage to portray this anger and pain because the girl's elbow had went straight into his gut and now he was just in pain all over and upset and about to cry.

"Oh god! I am so sorry! I-I really didn't mean to do that! Please don't be bruised, oh no..." The girl began to freak out and panic, unsure of how to handle what happened.

"Whatever, forget it. Come on Norman, let's get you inside and get some ice and meds, alright?" Carson shot the girl a cold stare and re-hooked Norman's arm around him, shuffling the poor boy down the hall and into a room.

The girl stared after them, in shock and worry. A few moments later, a boy almost identical to her, stumbled out of a room while he pulled on a boot. He was grumbling angrily.

"Mabel, there are _no _gnomes in Portland, trust me. You were just dreaming. Seriously, you have got to sto- Mabel? Mabel? Hello, you okay?" The boy walked over to her, confused and trying to look at what she was down the hall.

"I just ran into somebody... I feel really bad, Dipper... He looked really sick and I probably made it worse!" She cried in distress, covering her face with her hands.

"What? One of the neighbors? Who?" Dipper said startled.

"I dunno... I think the other guy called him Norman..." She said again, still being overly dramatic and tearing up.

"Norman?"

"Uh huh..."

"As in... Like, that guy in your band or whatever?" Dipper asked, just wanting to make sure he was pronouncing it right. What kind of a name was Norman, anyways?

"Y-yeah lik-" Mabel nodded wiping her tears and freezing. She stared at Dipper. "Exactly... like... Him... oH MY GOD DIPPER I RAN INTO NORMAN BABCOCK AND PUNCHED HIM IN THE GUT!" She burst into tears and collapsed to her knees. Dipper stepped back in shock and then squatted to pat her back in comfort.

"Come on, it couldn't have been him." Dipper reasoned.

"No, Dipper, he had the hair and EVERYTHING! That and that other guy was probably another band member! I cant possibly see him backstage tomorrow, now! Oh god what if he can't play tomorrow because I ruptured his SPLEEN?! DIPPER I'M GONNA DIE OF EMBARRASSMENT!" Dipper rolled his eyes are sighed.

Great. His sister hurt one of her favorite band members, he had to goto the funeral home tomorrow, and she would probably still want to go to the concert. As if this summer here wasnt already going to be hell.

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><p><strong>Hahahha im such shit i didnt update this for forever dont hate me a aerigjfqerif u<strong>


	3. Chapter 3

When Norman woke up, he was relieved to discover he no longer had a migraine. As he sat up, rubbing through his ridiculously spiky and tangled hair, he glanced around his apartment. The sun sifted through the curtains of his one window, basking the bedroom in a gentle yellow and orange light. His room was a mess, and he prodded the idea of cleaning sometime this weekend, but it was dismissed as her yawned and stretched. Tossing his sheet to the side, he swung his legs over the edge of his mattress, attempting standing up, but fell back since his tired body was too groggy to properly work. He tried again and wobbled into balance. Another stretch and an hour later, he was dressed and showered. He strolled out of the bathroom, hair still damp, with a towel over his shoulder. He went over to his calender and checked the date.

"Shit..." He grumbled. Concert tonight. He had almost forgotten. Well, why was he saying shit? He usually was so happy to go, but for some reason her felt no want to go.

In fact... He didn't have a reason. Norman looked around very slowly and realized for the first time in nearly 3 years there was not a single dead person in his room or voices in his head. The room was still, and quiet, and he could for once, hear the dull sound of birds outside his window, and he could notice the dust floating through the nearly still air. And for the first time in quiet some time, he asked himself:

"Where the hell are the voices?"

* * *

><p>After an hour and a half of checking every part of his face and ears to make sure a parasite hadn't crawled under his skin or that he was hallucinating that he <em>wasn't <em>hallucinating, he grabbed his backpack and headed out the door. As he turned to lock his door, he heard one down the hall click open and loud voices filled the hallway.

"Dipper, I don't _want _to go to breakfast! You know how to cook and besides, the cash is for tonight!" A girl whined and he recognized it immediately, looking down the hall just so his eyes could confirm what his ears already knew. It was the brown-haired girl from last night, who had unceremoniously run into him. She was being pushed out the door by and boy identical to her, which he could only presume was Dipper. What a weird name.

"Mabel, I can't cook without ingredients. We'll have eat out for breakfast and lunch, and I'll hit a grocers later today, alright?" Dipper sighed, not so much with irritation, but more with practiced patience, as though this was a very common conversation.

"Well, why can't we go now? I mean it's not lik- oh my god." Mabel whined, pulling on her sweater and turning, discovering Norman paralyzed in front of his door at the end of the hallway. Dipper turned and stared for a moment before recognizing.

"Oh." Dipper said shortly, sending everyone into a rather awkward silence, Normans' hands frozen on the doorknob and lock, and theirs on each others. 'Holy crap' Norman thought,' this is going to last forever if I don't do something'. Norman cleared his throat, reddening in the face a bit before giving a raspy,

"Good morning." He finished locking his door, swung his backpack up onto his shoulder, and stuffed his hands into his pockets. Mabel's face went from shock/awe to an expression that one would wear when either about to scream in utter terror or excitement. Though her face said she wanted freak out, she instead sputtered out in a breathless gasp,

"_Oh my god you are Norman Babcock of literally my favorite band ever and you live in the apartment down the hall from mine I think I'm going to faint- and oh my GOD I ran into you last night and hurt you I am so sorry please don't hate me it wasn't on purpose and I_-"

"Mabel!" Dipper intervened, giving her a good shake on her shoulder. He gave me a sheepish smile and stepped a bit closer.

"What my sister is trying to say, is that she's sorry for hitting you and hopes your okay." The boy said calmly, still holding his sisters' shoulder, which, Norman was sure if he wasn't she'd collapse.

"I-It's alright. I mean, it wasn't on purpose. No sweat." Norman answered shyly, giving them a small smile. "To show you no hard feelings, how about breakfast?" Norman rambled out before realizing he had asked that. Norman mentally hit himself for ever even considering the idea of thinking a question like that. Like, it wasn't as though Norman didn't like them, but he didn't know them and by asking them that, they could infer that he'd been listening in on their conversation.

That and Mabel just about started crying in that very second and Dipper had to give her a quick wap on the head to quell the oncoming storm.

"Well, only if you want man. I'm Dipper, and that's Mabel. Your name is Norman right?" He gave a shaky smile and Norman noticed it and it was peculiar because it wasn't at him, it was at the space behind him and he quickly glanced over his shoulder and saw nothing. Norman looked back and the expression on Dippers' face had vanished and was now honest.

"Yeah that's fine." Norman let Mabel stumble over and gently grasp his sleeve and drag him down the hallways, still looking like she was about to cry, Dipper just laughed softly and as they got to the stairs, Norman turned to him and asked:

"You wouldn't happen to have a dream catcher necklace would you?" Norman glanced at the string, barely visible underneath Dipper's shirt collar, and he seemed surprised.

"Yeah? Why?" Dipper said cautiously eyeing the other man. Norman tried not to fall down the stairs as Mabel pulled him faster.

"Just a hunch." Norman managed to get out before being dragged at too fast a pace to stay behind with Dipper and finish talking. He could feel Dipper's eyes burning bullet holes in his back and the previously friendly mood he had felt, melted into something darker.

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><p><strong>mmmmmmmmmmmmmm yay updating wow May youre actually writing for once<strong>

**EDIT: Thank you for telling me about the POV change, whoops. I wrote this in a quickie c:**


	4. Chapter 4

Now, Norman usually ate alone. He'd stroll to the nearest cafe or breakfast place and order the simplest thing he could. Mornings were spent alone- well, in relation to the living. Normally, his company consisted of ecto-people and gentle voices begging for a death that they already had; he tried not to think about whose death they asked for. But now, walking calmly on a cracked sidewalk along a small avenue of shops, there were no voices or ghosts. The twins were they only thing that took up space in his attention span, which was alien for him. Hell, this whole morning was alien for him. It was almost so strange, he partially wanted the insanity back just to get the weird feeling to go away.

Mabel was chattering away about something entirely unimportant, but somewhat amusing. She was a funny girl, and Norman found her charming; in her own bizarre way. She was maybe 5'6", dwarf next his 6' posture, but only a head below. She had these immaculately straight, white teeth, which obviously were only that way from either years of braces or some serious bleaching. Or maybe she painted them on, considering how crazy weird her conversation starters were. She had these big brown doe eyes and a cheeky smile that made you want to grin right back. Her hair was a fluffy and curly mess of brown and highlights, and had faint stains of color, probably from washed out dye. She was thicker than most girls, but it looked more like muscle than fat, which didn't really matter to Norman, since either way she was still really quite pretty. Somewhat tan skin made it very clear that she was definitely not from Oregon or any state near it, and her jean short shorts and sleeveless/large holed tank top backed that assumption.

Dipper was... Both much cooler and much weirder. He said nothing the entire walk, and simply stared at Norman blankly. It unsettled Norman, as he wasn't used to dead looks from anything other than, well, the dead. Dipper was very clearly her twin, and was maybe a couple inches taller than Mabel. He was thinner, but still had the similar somewhat muscular tone to him, which made Norman wonder if they went to gyms together. His skin was slightly lighter than his doubles', and his eyes were more hazel than brown. His hair was a ridiculous mess of curls and wave that fell in his face and bothered his eyes so much he blinked a stupid amount of times instead of just swatting the locks away. He wore ripped jeans and a shirt that looked like it came from a gift shop with 'Gravity Falls' in weird exaggerated letters on it.

"Norman!" Said boy jumped a bit in shock and looked back at Mabel who had stopped in front of a small cafe. She giggled at his reaction and startled look and pointed to the cafe door. " This place any good?"

He cleared his throat, sinking his hands deeper into his pockets and shrugging. "Honestly, I don't know. I prefer the one a block away, but thats a bit far, and I'm awfully tired today." He said more than necessary, but Mabel didn't seem to mind since she dragged him into the cafe, with Dipper trailing behind. Norman still felt like he was being watched.

* * *

><p>"What's your shoe-size?"<p>

"Uh... I dunno. Ten in men's?"

"Okay... What was your first favorite band?"

"Shiny Toy Guns, I think."

Norman sat across from Mabel and Dipper at a red and beech wood booth. She was sipping at a cherry limeade, while playing 400 questions with Norman and seeming to log every answer in some crazy head file. Norman had gotten a watermelon smoothie, and Dipper just got a Dr. Pepper. As Mabel would ask questions that included hobbies, trends, childhood memories, and somewhat not-so-public information, Dipper would only interject every ten questions to ask some strange, uncomfortable question.

"Do you have nightmares often?"

"Do you always have trouble sleeping?"

"Ever known somebody who was murdered?"

"Why did you ask about my dream catcher?"

Norman would shift his eyes away uncomfortably, and blubber out some cruddy lie that Dipper could clearly see through, but Mabel would just hit Dipper, give him a look, and go back to normal questions. Dipper made Norman very uncomfortable. Like, really uncomfortable. If ghosts and demons were just inconveniences to Norman, that occasionally caused actual problems, then the fact that Dipper made Norman so disturbed surely meant something. Ever since the medium mentioned the necklace, Dipper had pulled it out and let it sit on his collar bone almost accusingly. At one point, Mabel excused herself to the bathroom and once she was well out of ear-shot, Dipper slid over to the space in front of Norman and folded his arms.

'Shit.' Norman thought very nervously. 'Confrontation.'

"Norma-"

"Look, why is it such a big deal I mentioned your dream catcher? I just saw a glimpse of it and wanted to make sure you didn't have duck feathers in your shirt or something." Norman interrupted, very badly wishing he hadn't. His face lit up as Dipper stared at him and then glared.

"Because it wasn't just the dream catcher you noticed, was it." It was more of a claim than a question. A staredown that lasted a couple of minutes let Norman think over his response.

"What's Gravity Falls." Norman said calmly, letting it become a demand, and clearly stating to the person across the table that this was not a conversation he was about to have with a stranger.

"I'm ba~ack!" Mabels voice granted much wanted relief and Dipper slid back to the side to let in his sister.

"Gravity Falls is... Uh, our summer vacation... Place." Dipper said plainly. Mabel squealed happily and smiled.

"Yeah! It's out favorite place to go ever! We stay with our Grunkle Stan, and we run around fighting mons-" Dipper loudly cleared his throat, interrupting. A strange quiet fell over mabel and she glanced to the side awkwardly, still smiling, but now somewhat tense.

"Fighting... What?" Norman prompted. She laughed and rubbed her arm.

"Uh... Boredom. We goto shops and stuff and the townfolk are really strange. They have, like, a reputation for being weird. Theres was this old guy who used to live in the junkyard who was like really crazy and would harass the kids in town." She continued and then went off to talk about some guy named McNugget or something weird like that, but Norman kept glancing at Dipper. Mabel was going to say something that ,clearly, neither of the twins were okay with sharing. Dipper looked back at Norman, his eyes burning into the guitarists irises. Norman knew that he couldn't read minds, but he didn't need to, to know what Dipper was thinking.

* * *

><p><strong>Happy birthday to me, almost everyone at school forgot my birthday even though I told them yesterday it would be today. So Im listening to sad music and drinking watermelon slush and waiting for the weekend and Akon where I can forget shitty birthdays and stupid forgetful people and be cute.<strong>

**Sigh.**


	5. Chapter 5

He wasn't sure how it got to this, but for some reason, the twins had somehow used some kind of mind trickery to drag him around town with them. He hadn't even noticed when Mabel had dragged them to multiple shops, and convinced him to tell her all about the city. It was nearly three hours later before Norman looked at his watch and realized it was nearly two o'clock. He stopped walking down a sidewalk, with Mabel next to him and Dipper a few feet behind them. Norman groaned and ran a hand through his hair.

"Oh no..." Norman dug out his phone and began to furiously text someone, and Mabel and Dipper had both stopped to look at him curiously- well at least, Mabel was curious. Dipper had kept this continual expression of suspicion and distance the entire morning; if Mabel had noticed it at all, she had chosen not to say anything about it.

"What is it?" Mabel asked, somewhat worried.

"I'm late for practice. We have to run through songs and sound tech before the show tonight." Norman hit send, shipping off an apologetic message to Isaac, and the rest of the band just in case, and stuff the phone back in his pocket. "I'm really sorry but I gotta go." Mabel gave him a sad pouty face and suddenly grabbed his arm.

"Aww! But you still need to show me a park! Or a zoo! Or something! Do you have to go?" Before Norman could answer, Dipper interjected.

"No, it's okay Mabel. How about you head to the mall before me? I'll meet you there in an hour- I'll drive Norman back." Shit. Mabel pouted again but nodded, shaking Norman's hand a bit and letting go.

"Alright. I'll see ya' Norman! I'm going to the show tonight, so be sure to look out for me! Bye bye!" She called over her shoulder as she skipped off, disappearing around a corner.

The mood shifted and Norman didn't even bother looking at Dipper to know his expression. Norman took a quiet shaky breath and turned to face the shorter man anyways, not wanted to seem intimidated, though he was. They stood there, saying nothing, sizing each other up. At least, Dipper was. He was such a strange presence, Dipper, because despite his relaxed posture and height, he was immensely threatening feeling. He had an air of power to him, as though Dipper knew he had some sort of upper hand on Norman- what kind of upper hand, Norman didn't know. Dipper eventually sighed and turned, heading back in the direction they'd came.

"Let's go back to the parking garage."

* * *

><p>It was too uncomfortable. Both persons were fighting a mental battle against each other, neither willing to give in and say something; but they both knew it had to end somewhere. Norman gave simple instructions, guiding Dipper back to their apartment complex. He had to get his guitar and a few other tech pieces for the show tonight before heading over the the theater, which he could drive to himself once he was dropped off, but the drive just felt like an eternity. Dipper didn't turn on the radio, the AC was on low, and the car was just full of stuffy silence that Norman couldn't stand.

"Look, Dipper, if you need to say something, you might as well." Norman managed to muster out with a calm tone exactly opposite of how he really felt. Dipper stiffened and let out what sounded like the air he'd be holding in this entire time.

"You're strange. You keep looking for something, and seem confused when it isn't there. You glance over your shoulders, out windows, twitch and seem to be frustrated about something. I can't decide if you have physical tics as a result of something, or you're just plain crazy." Norman flinched. Crazy. That word was so familiar yet distant to him. He hadn't been called crazy since he was eleven. It opened an old wound, and Norman fought against allowing Dipper to open another.

"That's... Quite an assumption based upon simple observations. You aren't exactly normal either, considering you seem very superstitious of everything. Do you have paranoia? Are you crazy? Do you think the government is coming after you, Dipper?" Norman snapped back, suddenly very aggressive and agitated. He didn't need some stranger assuming there was something wrong with him. Dipper slammed on the brakes, and Normans' neck nearly snapped in half from whiplash. Thankfully, there were on en empty residential street. Dipper turned and looked at Norman, eyes burning with fury.

"Yes." Was all Dipper said and Norman suddenly felt very very sick. Dipper didn't strike him as actually crazy, but did Dipper really mean that? The whole thing? Even the government thing. "And so do you, Norman, because you are the exact same way. That's why I'm suspicious. I have reasons behind my superstitions, I just wonder if you do. But I suppose it doesn't really matter anyways, since we probably wont meet again except maybe tonight, you're just... Unsettling." Dipper's angry demeanor diminished quickly while he spoke. "I'm sorry, I've been incredibly invasive and rude today, I've got a lot on my mind." The last bit caught Norman off guard, and he wasn't entirely sure how to react. Norman shifted uncomfortably and rubbed his neck.

"It's alright... I do too." Was all Norman could think of to say. He knew he wasn't very talkative, but he felt bad not being able to say anything else.

Dipper just stared for a moment before turning back to the road and driving again. The rest of the ride was silent, and when Norman finally got out of the car in the parking lot of his complex, Dipper didn't look at him or linger, just drove away.

* * *

><p>As Norman got ready with the rest of the band, setting up music stands, mics, wires, etc., he kept thinking about that day. He felt totally exhausted, as he wasn't used to that much social interaction from anyone, even his band mates. He didn't spend much time with other people, and didn't until five pm every tuesday and friday, since those are the only days everyone is available for practice. And even then, most of their interaction was just because he was instructing. He'd forgotten how draining it was to be around people who genuinely wanted your attention. He paused while putting a mic in a stand and stared at the wiring on the receiving piece. Mabel and Dipper were strange. He'd noticed a lot of things around them that he'd before. Ghosts were actually there, in fact, he saw a few while walking around, but they dissipated or ran off once they saw the twins. The voices on acted up when Norman went somewhere on his own, like the bathroom, or to run back to a store to grab something without either twin. And now, the theater was holding it's own deceased occupants, who were presently drifting after Norman, groaning quietly at him for his attention. He'd gotten used to be bugged, and though as a kid he would growl at them to leave him alone, he now just pretended they weren't there. He may have been accepted back in Massachusetts, but that was because everyone experienced what he had for a whole night. He doubted anything like that would happen and help other understand him.<p>

"Norm? You alright? You're spacing out." Norman cut back to reality to Carson snapping his fingers in front of Norman's face and laughing awkwardly. Norman hummed a bit in response, letting go of the mic and rubbing his neck.

"I had a long morning..."

"Oh... Migraine again?"

"No, lively neighbors. The girl recognized me and before I knew it we had breakfast and were out shopping with her and her strange brother." Nearly everyone halted their bustling to look at Norman wide-eyed. He stared back, suddenly very confused. "Why are you all looking at me like that?" Carson, who was gaping a bit, closed his mouth and let out a slight laugh.

"It's just... Since we've known you, you haven't spent a single day doing anything with anyone except us, and that's just for practice. You spent the whole morning with them? Who were they? You said the girl knew who you were, is she coming tonight?" Suddenly the whole mood of the band lifted, and it confused Norman.

"I mean, yeah, it wasn't intentional. I dunno, they're from out of town, and yeah she is, with the brother." Norman replied awkwardly, turning to rearrange cords on the ground so they were likely to be tripped over.

"Norman, that's great! It worries us that you spend so much time alone, we think you're turning into a hermit or something." The others grunted in agreement and went back to what they were doing. Norman paused, crouched and picking at the insulation on one of the mic wires. He smiled a bit; they had been worried for him. It had been a while since someone other than his family fretted over him. It felt nice.

* * *

><p><strong>Man I'm tired. I spent like 4 days at my friends house and my neck hurts from being hung on by small children. Happy 4th of July!<strong>


	6. Chapter 6

_'Norman, is it?'_

_The voice cooed. It was light, feminine, gentle, and one he hadn't heard before in any of his nightmares. There was no space, no existence or setting to look around in, and it seemed as though, for once, Norman was the only thing that existed in his nightmare. He was suspended in black, his own body seeming to give off it's own light, seeing as he could look down at himself and know he was there._

_'You've met some very interesting people, Norman.' the voice shifted, now it was like a small child, a boy. Whatever it was, it came from everywhere._

_'Who are you?' Norman asked, his voice being swallowed by the dark and seeming to only be heard by him._

_'Everyone.' The voice changed again, except in mid-sentence. It was now old and hoarse. 'And... No one.' Teenage boy?_

_'That doesn't make sense... But then again, nothing in my head ever does.'_

_'Oh no, Norman, it does! See,' now it sounded like Mabel,' I understand you, Norman.'_

_Norman picked at the fluff on his sweatshirt, sighing. Not one of these nightmares; one that projected Norman's desire for understanding._

_'And yet, I am not your mind, Norman. You did not create or project me. If anything, I created you.' It laughed, and in the darkness, a small spark flickered in front of Norman. It turned into a flame, and began to slowly grow._

_'Yeah? Then who are you?' Norman said back boredly. The fire twisted and then exploded like fireworks, making Norman flinch back. A cloud of white smoke bubbled from where the fire had once been, and as it cleared, a shape came into view. It wasn't human, it was a literal shape. A triangle._

_'Not who, Norman, but what?' The shadow of the triangle split near the top and grew an eye._

_'You can call me Bill.'_

* * *

><p>Norman shot up, gasping and clutching his throat. He couldn't breathe, felt nauseaus, and he was drenched in sweat. He wheezed as he climbed out of bed, tripping as he stumbled into the bathroom, and spilled his stomach into the sink. After emptying himself, he looked up into the mirror and coughed viciously. Why had he suddenly awoken like that? He felt awful, as though he'd swallowed rat poison and contracted a fever. He shook terribly as he ran a hand through his hair and lurched again, coughing up what felt more like stomach acid than anything. He hadn't felt this sick before bed- in fact, he'd felt amazing. The concert had gone awesome, and Mabel came back stage along with a few other fans for the meet-n-greet. He hadn't felt nervous at all, and he got to introduce Mabel to the rest of the band. Dipper hadn't come, but Mabel had told him that Dip was busy talking to their... Grunkle?<p>

Norman wiped his mouth with a wad of toilet paper and turned on the faucet to wash out the vomit. He felt better now that he'd thrown up, but it was so peculiar to have woken up like that. The moment he'd woken up, he had been completely alert and aware, and knew immediately to get to the bathroom.

"Must've b-been another night-terror..." Norman croaked weakly to himself as he slowly walked back out into his dorm space. He glanced out the window and groaned, checking the clock to confirm the time. 2:45 a.m. blinked at him from his desk clock and he moaned, shuffling to his desk and opening his drawer. He pulled out his anxiety medication and flu medicine, and sighed as he realized the flu medicine was out. He still felt nauseaus and did not want to wake up again like that. He popped his anxiety meds, and then closed the drawer, thinking. He could just goto bed again and hope he wouldn't wake up, or goto the store and buy more flu medicine. Or... He could ask Dipper and Mabel.

"Yeah... Hopefully they won't mind..." Norman mumbled, slipping on his slippers and then shuffling out of his dorm, luckily remembering to lock it even if he was delirious and tired. He went up to the twins' door and knocked hesitantly. He waited and no answer. He knocked again, but the door was swung open violently mid-knock and a very furious Dipper stood in the doorway, glaring at his chest before realizing the person in front of him was much taller, and looking up.

"Norman? The hell man? It's like, 3 a.m.!" Dipper hiss-whispered. Norman scratched his neck and sighed.

"I woke up sick. I ran out of flu medicine and was w-wondering if you had any. Sorry to wake you up." He explained, still hoarse sounding. Dipper eyed him before sighing and opening the door wide enough for him to come in.

"Fine, I think we do, just give me a minute." Norman walked in, Dipper closing the door behind him, and storming past him to the bathroom area. Norman decided to sit down in a desk chair, clutching his sleeping shirt as he observed the room. Dipper had one of the bigger apartments, which had a main living room, and two small bedrooms on each side. A small kitchen seperated by an island connected to the wall, seperated it from the living space. The room was fairly empty, but had a few boxes in it, and was dimly lit by a lamp in a far corner. Dipper came back out of the bathroom, which was next to a bedroom with an open door, and came over, handing Norman two bottles.

"Oh, thanks."

"They're two different kinds. Pick which one you want." Dipper said, trying to sound aggressive, but Norman could tell he was exhausted. Norman picked the pill bottle rather than the liquid, and handing the reject back to Dipper. Dipper went to put the other medicine back as Norman popped out a few of the pills and swallowed them dry. Dipper came back, but paused in the doorway of the bathroom. "You look beat, man."

"Yeah... I don't know what happened. I just... Woke up feeling awful." Norman sighed, standing.

"You want some water before you go?" Norman nodded and let Dipper fuss himself in the kitchen, looking for a glass.

_'You can call me Bill'_

Norman's head pulsed suddenly with excruciating pain and he gasped, curling over slightly, and feeling sick again. Dipper noticed immediately and rushed over.

"Woah, dude, please dont barf on my floor." He patted Normans' back, and lead him back to the desk chair. "You sure you're okay?"

Norman tried to open his eyes, but the world seemed to have turned surreal; bright colors shone in his vision, and fireworks danced in his eyes.

"Sh-shit..." Norman groaned. Wait. He did know this feeling. He'd felt it only once before. Norman opened his eyes, forcing himself to straighten his back and take calm breaths. Dipper watched him, confused but curious. After a few moments of controlled breathing, the colors passed and his body relaxed.

"Are... Are you okay now?" Bill... Who was Bill? Why had that name suddenly burned into his head.

"Bill..." Norman murmured, earning a grunt of confusion from Dipper.

"What?"

"Bill." Norman said again, looking at Dipper. "Who the hell is Bill?" He thought aloud.

Dipper paled. His eyes grew wide and he gaped like a fish. Norman eyed him cautiously. "Are you okay?" Dipper stepped back and glared at Norman.

"Nobody. I mean, I don't know. Where'd you hear that name?"

"I... I don't know. It just keeps popping up in my thoughts. Why?" Dipper looked to the room with the closed door, which Norman presumed to be Mabels', judging by the faint trail of glitter leading into it. He looked lost in thought, and afraid. Very afraid.

"Nothing. I don't recognize the name. You should go now." Dipper looked back to Norman, helping him up. Norman didn't protest as Dipper led him out, but did keep eye contact as he walked out the door. "But Norman?" Norman stood beyond the doorway and cocked an eyebrow.

"If you ever hear that name again... Tell me, okay?" And he shut the door without letting Norman reply.

* * *

><p><strong>dun dundudnnn<strong>

**oh noeooees**

**gUESS WHO KIDS**


	7. Chapter 7

Dipper woke up feeling worse than he had last night. Mabel had suffered a whole day without talking to Norman yesterday, even thought she'd seen him all the day before, and she had been pouty and stubborn. Dipper yawned against his pillow that he currently was face-planted in, and pushed himself up off the bed, scowling at the wet spot on his pillow where he'd been drooling. Norman... Norman was strange; an oddity. He reminded Dipper of one of the strange trinkets in the Mystery Shack. Dipper sat back on his calves and looked around his room wearily, sighing. The Mystery Shack. Grunkle Stan...

"No, shut up, you promised you wouldn't think about it until you had to." Dipper scolded himself for the millionth time in the last few months. He bit his lips and stared at the calluses on his hand and at the ripped up bed of his nails. 'Remember the good things, Dip,' his sisters' words echoed in his ears and he let out another frustrated sigh, which honestly sounded more like a growl. He jumped out of bed and busied himself about the room getting dressed and showered, not being completely ready until about half an hour later. He left his room, shutting his door carefully, and glancing to his sister's door on the other side of the living space. As he went to make himself some toast, he thought about whether or not to go visit Stan at the hospital. He'd decided against Stan staying here with him and Mabel because he hadn't wanted Stan to be stressed out by the hustle and bustle that was Dipper and Mabel's relationship. Stan was compliant, which was uncharacteristic, but then again anybody that was going to die in a few weeks would change the personality a bit.

A glass clattered against the kitchen counter, barely rocking to sit on it's bottom. Dipper gripped the kitchen counters and breathed carefully. That was it. He'd said it to himself, so now he had to accept it. It had been a fear in his family since last August, when Stan had first started getting weary around the Shack while Dipper had been there visiting and helping out. At first, Stan just lumbered around the building slower than usual, asking Dipper to come help him up the stairs, saying that his knees where feeling arthritic. Dipper knew that he was... Older... But it hadn't become such a reality to him until he'd grown older as well. Stan was dying, yes, and Dipper and Mabel were here to let him go because nobody else was able to. Their parents were in California and too busy to take time off to come help. The twins felt terrible and it hurt a lot because Stan had virtually been nonexistant before their first trip when the two were just pre-teens, but since had become their summer, spring break, and basically any other holiday, retreat.

Dipper swallowed hard and rubbed his forehead. He couldn't think about this anymore, he had to goto the store to get groceries. He quickly made himself coffee and toast, and dashed out the door. He locked the door and glanced down the hallway to Norman's apartment door. Dipper paused and remembered last night. Norman knocking on the door at 3am- that was probably also why Dipper was tired- and asking for medicine. Norman almost throwing up on his floor and him saying...

His eye twitched slightly. Surely Norman couldn't _actually _know who Bill was? He shivered at the memory of the crazy demon and pulled his key out of the lock. He had to ask Norman about it, really. He walked up to Norman's door and knocked hesitantly, listening for sound beyond the door. Nothing. He knocked again, and again was met with silence.

"Maybe he isn't here..." Dipper mumbled, turning away from the door before it was swung open very suddenly. Norman stood there, hair weighed down and looking slightly normal with wet. A towel was swung around Norman's neck and he was still in sweat pants and what seemed like a sleeping shirt. Norman blinked at him with his big owly eyes and rubbed his hair slowly with his towel.

"Sup?" The gangly man asked, genuinely curious and tired.

"Mornin'... Uh... Look, I know it's a bit weird to suddenly ask, but I was gonna head to the store, do you wanna come? Mabel's asleep and I need to get back before noon. Also, I don't like carrying bags by myself." Dipper blurted out, checking his watch to confirm the time- it was 9:47am- and avoid Norman's eyes. When he did look back, Norman seemed to be comtemplating the offer. "Do you feel better from last night?" Dipper carefully asked. Norman seemed slightly taken aback and shrugged.

"Yeah, I'm okay now. I don't know what was up with last night. Must've been another night terror, I get those a lot, though it was the first one I've had in weeks." He sighed and stepped aside and gestured for Dipper to come in. "Yeah, I'll go, I suppose. But just cause you're short and I wouldn't want you to get stepped on at the store or something." Dipper turned on the taller man and scowled at his smug grin. Dipper turned back to scrutinize Normans' room and discover that it looked like one of a kids'. Posters hung on the walls, mainly of popular horror games and movies, and some of really cheesy zombie flicks. A few strange books caught his eye on Norman's desk, and he pulled one out while Norman was finishing drying his hair in his bathroom.

"What the hell..." Dipper stared at the title, discovering that it wasn't even English. Feeling the aged leather of the book even under his scarred hands, he unlatched the side and opened it, finding the book was entirely in Latin. "You... You know Latin?" Dipper called to the bathroom, and Norman stuck his head out, toothbrush in his mouth.

"Oh... Yeah... Picked that up for, uh... Class..." He mumbled around the foam in his mouth and disappeared back into the bathroom. Dipper leafed through the book slowly, and somewhat inferred from the pictures it had something to do with ancient rune symbols. He slid the book back into place and pulled another, relieved to find that this one was in English. Herbs Uses Against the Paranormal the book read in golden scrawl across the front, and Dipper furrowed his brow as he opened the book to find the pages were exceptionally worn and heavily noted. A hand snaked around Dipper and snatched the book out of Dipper's hand, and said man turned to find Norman shutting the book and holding it somewhat protectively.

"They're books I picked up for classes and just extra study." Norman explained, his eyes giving Dipper a warning to just stop touching them. Dippers' eye twitched slightly as Norman gingerly slid the book back into place and sighed, turning back to Dipper, who had stepped away from the desk to give him space. "So, should we go?" Dipper finally noticed that Norman hand changed into a sweater that looked years old and jeans with ripped up knees. Why did his whole wardrobe look like he'd gotten into a fight in every piece of clothing he owned?

"Yeah, sure."

* * *

><p>"Dude, you live with one other person, why the hell... Did you get so much crap?" Norman grumbled, trudging behind Dipper up the 4th flight of stairs to their floor.<p>

"Mabel eats a lot..." Dipper replied, sighing with relief once they reached the top of that flight and lumbered down the hall, weighed down with just as many grocery bags as Norman. He stopped in front of the door, dropping his bag, and Norman following suit, continuing to let out a string of angry curse words as the plastic bags and their weight cut into his hand. Dipper opened the door and they both practically dragged the bags inside and into the kitchen. After setting the bags down and vowing to put up all the things soon, the flopped down onto the ground, Dipper laying onto his back.

"I still think thats too damn much." Norman breathed, leaning back onto his hands. They sat there, relaxing, and wondering about each other. Both were very curious about the other. Dipper found it strange that Norman always seemed to be looking for something, and occasionally would glare warningly out windows and doorways. Norman found it strange that Dipper would mutter some strange chant anytime he entered some place new, which was something Norman didn't notice until he watched the mans' lips frequently. Dipper sighed and stood up. And this whole thing was strange to Dipper. Norman was practically famous, there had been a lot of people point to him in public and whisper as they passed, but Norman seemed completely unfazed and never seemed to anticipate any of them approaching; and they never did.

"Norman."

"Yo."

"Why did you ask me who Bill was?" Dipper asked suddenly, deciding he should just get it over with. Norman went very quiet.

"Why?"

"Because... It's important."

"Why is it important?" Dipper sat up to face Norman and he scowled.

"Just tell me, idiot." Norman narrowed his eyes and sighed.

"I don't know. The name just seemed... Prominent? Dipper, why is it important?"

"It just is. You sure you haven't been... Hearing voices?" Dipper asked carefully.

"Honestly Dipper, if anything there's been a serious lack of voices since you've moved here." Norman growled angrily, seeming agitated by the questions.

"Look, I just need to kno- wait. What? Norman, you hear voices?" Dipper suddenly fathomed what Norman had just confessed and stared at him incredulously. Norman turned absolutely pink and stammered, suddenly very embarrassed.

"Oh... Uh... Well, I just... I was joking... I don't hear voices..." Norman saved quickly. Dipper wasn't sold.

"Norman, are you for real, you hear voices?" Dipper mentally ran through tabs in his brain. Voices were a symptom of schizophrenia, but Norman didn't have that... Did he?

"No! I said I don't Dipper!"

"Then why are you always looking for something?" Dipper blurted out, and Norman recoiled slightly in shock. "You always look like you're expect something to jump out from nowhere or talk or whatever! Are you schizophrenic?"

Dipper didn't even realize he'd been punched until his head cracked against the floor and his nose went numb. Norman stood up, shaking his hand, and looking positively livid.

"A-am I schizophrenic? Wh-what the h-hell you asshole! I a-am not crazy, trust me, I-I've been tested. This i-is none of your damn business, Dipper f-cking Pines, and you better n-never knock on my door ever a-again." Norman seethed, storming out the door and slamming it behind him. Dipper laid on the floor, in complete awe and shock. Norman had snapped at him before, he knew the guys usually shy disposition was not constant, but... He would have never expected Norman to actually hit him. He sat up and marveled at the blood he now tasted in his mouth and that was dripping down his chin. He sat there for minutes, maybe a whole half hour, before Mabel crashed through the door, gabbing on her phone and then screaming when she saw Dipper covered in blood and sitting on the floor in shock.

* * *

><p><strong>Bad Dipper<strong>

**Angry Norman**

**Mabel wasn't there**

**lol**

**what**


	8. Chapter 8

Norman slammed his apartment door shut behind him and collapsed against the door. He tried his best to bite back the tears that were furiously dripping down his cheeks and he wiped at them furiously. He didn't want to feel like a kid again, because this scenario had played so many times before in his childhood, he could've probably made a book of them all. He pulled his knees up to his chest and put his chin on them. The tears slowed after a few minutes and he no longer felt like he could stay awake for the day. So much emotional output exhausted Norman, and he didn't do it very often, at least, not in the past few years.

"I am not schizo..." Norman muttered angrily, standing up and rubbing at his eyes again, shuffling to his desk and sitting in his chair. He wanted to sleep, but he couldn't- he would end up sleeping all day long if he did that, and that would screw up his sleep schedule even more than it already was. He picked up a stray pen and twirled it in between his fingers. Why would Dipper say something like that to him? Could he be so dense that he didn't realize Norman was already reserved about his own strange tendencies already?

_'Yes, he is actually- and kinda stupid, so don't hold it against him too much, kiddo.'_

Norman gasped, but wasn't as startled as he could've been, considering voices suddenly coming from no where aren't really a new thing in Norman's life. He looked around the room frantically for a moment, and discovered nothing was in the room with him.

"Who are you?" He asked warily.

_'Stupid kid, I already told you.' _Norman scowled at the insult and watched curiously as a slight breeze rustled through the room and his bed creaked as though someone had pushed on it.

"Uh... Wait... Are you Bill?" The idea suddenly striking him and a glimpse of a memory of a dream flashed in his head and then was gone. A triangle? Why was a triangle so important in his head all of a sudden?

_'The one and only! Norman right? Just kidding! I know your name, I know everything about you! I know everything~' _The voice cooed and seemed to fill everywhere. Norman stood up slowly still trying to see if he could get a glimpse of the disembodied voice.

"Is that so? Then you'd know this isn't the first time a ghost has harassed me and refused to show itself. I just view it as cowardly." Norman quickly adapted the attitude that he knew ghosts respected more than anything else- which was insulting.

_'Jeez, kid, that's kinda rude! But that's okay, that just means you aren't the little baby boy you pretend to be all the time, which is good news for me!'_

Norman scowled again and slipped a book off his shelf, "How nice to know you approve. Tell me what you want or I make your afterlife misery." Laughter echoed in the room and the breeze came again, and the rune book in his hand seemed to me snatched from his hand and floated in the middle of his room. It opened and began to flip through quickly.

_'Cool book! But my afterlife is already misery- well it would be if I was having one! I'm not a ghost, kid, I could never be something so weak~'_

"Weak? You obviously haven't met many ghosts..." Norman said, now more curious about what he was talking to exactly.

_'Like the little witch girl from when you were a kid? I'll admit, she was pretty okay, but she's nothing compared to what I can do! Wanna see?' _The voice was pleased with himself, and the somewhat... Crazy tone to him made Norman very wary.

"See what?" He asked carefully.

'_Look at the window- see that guy on the sidewalk? Watch this!' _Norman followed the peculiar directions and peered out his window at the man on the sidewalk below, probably walking to his car in the parking lot. It only took a moment for Norman to realize the man had suddenly stopped walking. He hands suddenly gripped his head and his started screaming and stumbling backwards, and to Norman's horror, he fell to his knees and began to slam his head into the concrete, blood splattering everywhere. A couple of people in the parking lot heard and started running over, frantic and trying to get him to stop, but the man stood up and suddenly ran towards the wall and crashed his head into the brick and fell over, either unconscious or dead. Norman's eyes couldn't look away, he was frozen in place and fear crept up his spine and around his neck.

"Did... Did you..."

_'Super cool, right? Now that's causing terror in someone! You should've seen his face up close, it was hilarious!' _Norman backed away from the window and tried not to start shaking.

"That's a-awful! Why would you do that?!" Norman cried backing up against the wall and nervously watching every spot in his room.

_'Because I can! Hahahahaha! You know, Dipper Pines isn't a very nice guy, right?' _Norman allowed the quick change of subject because the image of the crazed man was still burning in his eyes.

"Well... I guess. He's insensitive..." Norman said, trying not to get angry or upset again over what Dipper had said.

_'Understatement! Do you know how much crap that kid has caused me? A lot, let me tell you! Made my non-physical existence hell! Him and his shrilly sister have been torturing me for years, causing all my plans to, uh... Settle somewhere safe to fall through! Do you know how hard it is to hide from exorcists and ghost catchers? Really freaking hard!'_

"Dipper has been harassing you? Wait, him and Mabel?" Norman asked, now really confused. Dipper believed in ghosts and the paranormal? Maybe that's why he was wearing the dream-catcher, and why Dipper seemed to also look at things that weren't there.

_'Yeah! He's awful, and I'm not the only ghost or paranormal thing he's hurt or inconvenienced! He used to hunt paranormal entities and kill them when he was younger, did you know?' _Norman bristled at the thought. He believed strongly in helping the paranormal relocate, to understand them and live beside them harmoniously- not killing them. Dipper was a hunter...

"No I didn't..."

_'Now you do~ But listen, kid, I've been trying to stop him! But It's a bit hard considering he knows all my tricks and turns- and I've been wonderin'... If maybe you could help me out?'_

* * *

><p>Mabel and Dipper sat on their floor, Mabel pressing paper towels to her brothers nose as he told her about his morning and what had happened. Mabel nodded quietly as Dipper told her about Norman and him going to the grocery, how Norman had had strange books, and pretty much everything, including Norman coming to their apartment that night and what he'd said.. When he finally got to the actual interaction that he knew his sister wanted to know about, he told it slowly, and embarrassed.<p>

"And we sat down right here to just take a break, and he and I just started talking about... Well you know how I told you earlier about Norman talking about Bill? Well I asked him why he knew who he was- well I asked him why he asked me about him. And he got all defensive like 'Why? Why is it important?' and like, wouldn't just tell me. All he said was that the name sounded, uh... Prominent is the word he used. And I asked him about voices, because you know that Bill talks to people in their mind, and I was just wanting to know, and he suddenly said, or kinda joked, that when you and I had moved in he had stopped hearing voices, and i was obviously really taken aback by that. That means that Norman had been hearing voices before we came, and I was just trying to figure out why, and I... I..." Dipper rambled on, and then paused for a long moment, staring at the floor.

"What? Dipper, what did you do?" Mabel asked, very worried as she checked to see if the blood had stopped.

"I asked him if he was schizophrenic." Mabel's jaw dropped and she resisted the urge to slap her brother, just out of courtesy that he was already injured. And had already been hit for the reason she wanted to hit him.

"RODERICK PINES- what on earth would make you think you could ask _anybody _something like that?!" Mabel scolded angrily.

"Mabel." Dipper hissed at the use of his real name, and narrowed his eyes.

"Oh shut up, you baby. I cannot believe you asked him that! That is unbelievably rude! I think the bleeding has stopped mostly... You need to go apologize right this moment!" Mabel stood up and went to throw away the paper towels.

"But he said he doesn't want to see me ever again..." Mabel spun around and put her hands on her hips and puffed her cheeks in that way Dipper knew meant, shut up and do what I just said or else. He sighed deeply and stood, touching his nose gingerly, and turning to the door and groaned," What if he hits me again?"

"Dipper, you have fought manotaurs are you serious." At that moment, a knock came to the door; it was brief and stiff. Both of the twins eyed the door, Dipper being the closest so he opened it. Norman stood there, hands shoved in his pockets and staring at the door frame like it was the most interesting thing in the world. He rocked on his feet and let out a long sigh before starting;

"Dipper, uh, look, I'm really sorry. That was really awful of me to hit you, I overreacted and I could've responded differently." He let the statement hang in the air for a moment before Mabel muttered quietly from further in the apartment,

"Dipper?" and said twin nodded softly.

"It's cool dude. I crossed a line, and I shouldn't have. I'm sorry too." Mabel came up behind Dipper, smiling widely.

"Good! Now you've both apologized~ Now hug!"

"Yeah don't push it." Norman said jokingly, giving Mabel a sly smirk, and both her and Dipper laughed. "So you okay? I hit you pretty hard." Dipper nodded, and Mabel managed to gesture both of them to come back inside of the living space and shut the door.

"Yeah, Mabel helped me out. How about you?..." Dipper raised and eyebrow and Mabel went to the kitchen to get water for everyone. Norman nodded glancing to the floor again, and his eyebrows scrunching up a bit, as though he was focusing on something.

"But, uh, Dipper... I think it'd be better for all of us, if we both just... Told each other shit, y'know? Like, I'll stop being weird and secretive if you do, because this is not helping me or you out." He offered, taking a water for Mabel as she came back and stood with both of the boys.

"I think that's a great idea- how about you Dipper?" Mabel smiled to them both and both of the boys eyed each other. If Dipper told Norman about him and Mabel's adventures in Gravity Falls, and about the Journal, then Norman would tell them both what his deal was, but he wondered if the exchange would be even. What secret could Norman have that could match the knowledge of the Journal, and practically half to most of the monsters in existence.

"Sure, I guess..." Dipper said. "We should sit then- we should really get a couch in here." Both parties agreed as they sat on the floor like a bunch of kids. "Who goes first?" Mabel excitedly hit Dipper on the shoulder.

"We should! We have a bunch of interesting stuff!" Dipper groaned and Mabel shrugged," I can just talk. Okay, Norman, are you ready to have your mind blown?" She dashed up and off to Dipper's room and returned a moment later with a dark, maroon colored book that looks like it had been thrown down a hill. Several times. She sat down again and handed the book to Norman who turned it over as she began to speak.

"This is a journal that Dipper and I found a long time ago when we were kids. We found it in a little town that our Grunkle Stan had lived in when we were sent there for the summer. The book tells about all the cool mysterious stuff about Gravity Falls and the paranormal. At first, I was kinda skeptical, but Dipper believed it immediately, because he's a dork about ghost stuff, and then we found out it was true! We ran into gnomes, and ghosts, and zombies, and even a mermaid! Actually, the gnomes pretended to be a real person and my boyfriend and call themselves Norman too, heh." Norman flipped through the journal, and it was written messily. Sketches and notes, and some of the pages were splattered in blood. He stopped on one of the pages and his eyes widened. Dipper interjected, noticing the page.

"That's Bill. The one I was talking about. He's a demon, and he tricked a boy named Gideon who lived in Gravity Falls as well into signing a deal with him that would get him our uncles' Shack and the land around it. It didn't work, obviously, because we stopped him, but Bill is a nightmare come alive. I was worried because I didn't want you to get wrapped up in some drama or whatever with him." Dipper leaned back on his hands. Norman paled, and stared at the page with a hard stare.

"A... Demon..." He murmured. Both of the twins nodded. Norman cleared his throat, "Scary."

"Yeah! But, that's pretty much it. Ever since then, Dipper and I have researched everything on the paranormal, and hunted evil monsters and ghosts! It's kinda like a hobby next to school." Mabel finished off. Norman handed the book back, almost like it had a virus, and brushed his hands off on his jeans. The twins now looked to Norman expectantly as he mustered up the courage to tell the two his story.

"Wow... Thats awesome. I wish my secret was as fun as that..." Norman rubbed his neck.

"Yeah, so what is it?" Mabel hit Dipper and smiled at Norman kindly.

"Take your time Norman, we don't want to rush you."

He took a deep breath and began. "When I was a kid, I was kinda... Rejected from my town. People thought I was crazy or wanted attention because I... Well... I could see ghosts. I have ever since I was a baby. I could talk to them and they were drawn to me. When I was like, eleven, a huge incident happened with a ghost that had cursed our town since like, the 1700's, and I had to deal with it. The townspeople were a bit more friendly after that, and it settled down for a while, but since I started high school, it developed. Sometimes I get snippets of memories, sometimes I hear them in my head and sometimes... Sometimes if they're strong enough, they can possess me. It sucks, but I can't stop it. So I'm a medium, I guess, and it isn't as fun as the media likes to make it sound." Norman spoke softly and hesitantly, like he expected them to both laugh at him.

The sat in silence before Mabel began to smile widely.

"That... Is so... Freaking cool... Do ghosts like, purposefully haunt people? Why are they there? We only talked to a couple before, but they were poltergiests and made apparitions of themselves! Does everyone end up a ghost?" Dipper stared at Norman while Mabel rambled off questions and Norman chuckled with relief.

"Slow down, Mabel. My grandmother told me that ghosts only come back if they died suddenly or in a traumatic way, or if they have unfinished business. Some ghosts do, but it depends on their death if they're mobile or not, some die in ways they wouldn't be able to get around to haunt." Norman answered.

Mabel continued her mass of questions, and Dipper asked one every once and a while, and they were pretty typical questions. Both seemed to be more open now, and it relieved him, but now he was stressed. He itched at his shoulder nervously as he talked, scratching the burnt rune in his arm.

He hadn't known. Bill had lied. And now, he was about to do something horrible.

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><p><strong>HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAAA IM AWFUL ARENT I<strong>

**i love u guys**

**sorry i took so long to update**

**been busy, school starts next week- still havent finished my summer reading.**

**but i bless u all with almost 3k words so get off my back lol (it was actually like 2.8k)**


	9. Chapter 9

After a good time of sharing each others' feelings, Norman made a show of checking his watch, and awkwardly interjected that he had practice to get to, and he needed to change. Dipper accepted, and assured him again that Norman was not at fault for what happened earlier. Mabel, however, gave Norman a shaded look when she hugged him goodbye at the door. She was suspicious, and Norman reclined a bit from her look.

"Is everything okay, Mabel?" He asked, remembering that it wouldn't help him to just not know why Mabel was eyeing him.

"Yeah... You know it's Friday right?" She asked, her tone unrecognizable.

"Uh... Yeah?" Her eyes flickered to look him over, scrutinizing as though she was looking for something. Only a moment later did she return to being bubbly and smiling at him, patting him on the cheek.

"Okay! Just checking!" Norman brushed off her strange behavior, nodded goodbye to them again, and stepped out of the doorway and letting the door shut inches in front of his face.

He stood there, staring into the grain of the painted wooden door. He gradually felt cold numbness creep up his ankles, knees, and up to his chest where it encircled his lungs and he suddenly felt like he was suffocating. He stumbled down the hallway to the stairs, practically sprinting down the steps, beginning to panic as he went, dashing out of the apartment complex and into the parking lot. He ran out into the street, apologizing loudly as he almost threw himself in front of a car, and quickly made his way across, running as fast as he could. He didn't need to pay attention to where he was going to know which path to take- he'd ran this route a dozen times. He rounded the last corner, splitting into large park area, skirting around adults and children as he barreled in the direction of the more deserted area of the park, finally spotting what he was running for.

A large, lush pine tree stood in the midst of a clearing, being one of the few in the park- although pines were all over the state,the park had planted mainly oak and spruce trees to add variety and interest. Norman skidded to a stop in front of the trunk of the old being and pressed his forehead against the sharp, rough bark, putting his hands to his hand and breathing shakily, both from exhaustion and anxiety.

What had he done? Why had he listened? He doubted them, believed a completely unknown gho-

The new information filled hollow lies in his mind. Demon. Bill was a demon. A liar. And Norman had fallen for his stupidly simple trick. He mentally punched himself and groaned audibly. The oldest trick in the book- quite literally. He remembered one of his psychic guides warning early on that demons liked to pose as ghosts and trick humans into forming contracts unknowingly. Norman sat, momentarily disgusted with the wet grass cooling his jeans, but he pressed his forehead back to the bark. He sighed, touching it softly and letting his mind relax, and temporarily indulge itself in ignorance. He closed his eyes and tried to find a place of comfort in his mind, knowing that if he allowed himself to psych out, he'd snap.

He imagined home. Not necessarily his house, but Blithe Hollow. He imagined the corny advertisements, the sour locals, the alleyway that stopped abruptly at the dirt road that led up the hill to the cemetery and Mr. Prenderghast's old home. He thought of the woods, and the forest that had begun to renew after the incident. And his thoughts finally landed on Aggie. He pictured the grass filled clearing, with the tall, weathered pine tree, and Aggie, sleeping with her head leaned against his shoulder. He'd long ago deleted the image of her dusting away, and instead replaced it with him falling asleep leaning against her in turn. The air warm and full of chirping and tufts of cottonwood. He felt his heart warm and slow, thinking of her small smile and the solace they both had found in each other and the shade of the pine tree...

_'Nice daydream, kid! She's pretty cute- is she dead?' _The voice jolted him from his indulgence and he sat up, reestablishing himself in the real world. Except not really. Everything had lost color, and everything seemed to have frozen in place- the trees, birds, clouds, wind, everything. Norman stood up quickly, cringing at a momentary head-rush, but spinning around and facing Bill nevertheless.

He expected a person. A humanoid form that would've fit the crazed voice Norman had heard the last few days, but he wasn't. He didn't? Whatever, he just wasn't a person. He was a pyramid with a center eye, like on the back of a dollar bill. Shadowy forms stuck out from the sides, one on each respectively, which Norman guessed when like his arm/hands? They also protruded from the base, which would represent his legs. A small black bowtie was fastened a bit below his eye, and a top hat floated above his point. Norman blinked at the odd form, breathing evenly to avoid panic.

"Bill. You lied to me."

_'Yeah- your point?' _He chirped, the eye narrowing.

"My point, you shit triangle, is that I want to take back the contract." Norman spat, trying to get back an insulting tone from his fear.

_'HAHAHAHA! You're funny! Even if you cut off your arm with the rune, you couldn't break the contract. I don't break promises, hedge-head, and I made one.' _Bill retorted smugly.

"You... I don't have to take anything from you. Your on a completely different spectrum of existence- I could break this contract. I've done it before." Norman's voice faltered and he began to shake.

_'HAH! I can transcend any spectrum of anything- and that wasn't even an actual demon, just a very powerful, malevolent spirit. I'd like to see you break this contract, seeing as you'd have to get into my mind to do it. You're a medium, not a psychometrist.' _He challenged, flashing dimly at every syllable.

"Try me."

* * *

><p>"He's lying." Mabel said darkly after the door closed. Dipper turned back to her, as he had been heading to his room to settle down for reading.<p>

"What?"

"Norman. He's lying again. He doesn't have practice." Her hand stayed firmly gripped to the door handle.

"How do you know that?" Dipper sighed. He was tired, and if she was going to come up with some new idea to bother Norman that day, he was going to lock himself in his room and turn on loud music.

"His band practices solely on Tuesdays and Thursdays. It's Friday." She turned, her face actually expressing extreme distress.

"Maybe they scheduled an extra one?" He offered lamely.

"They just had a show, Dip. Did you bother to notice Norman's expressions?" Dipper gave her a vacant look. She groaned, cursing her brother's thick-headedness when it came to others. "He seemed calm when he came in. Like he was prepared and wasn't anxious about asked for forgiveness. But it switched. When we were showing him the book, he suddenly became pale and startled. He looked like a ghost had just phased through him, or he'd made some awful realization." Dippers' vacancy showed like a motel sign. She growled, wildly gesturing to the door.

"Can you guess what PAGE, his nature changed?" She let Dipper process and his face twisted into a mixture of worry and fear.

"Bill."

"Dipper, he's talked to Bill. I know he has. Bill has been following us, you know that, and he just... Stopped... When we moved here. I told you he was planning something, and Norman has something to do with it." Her voice lowered.

"And Norman is a medium, he has naturally heightened psychic abilities- Bill isn't an idiot, he'd play that like a royal flush." Dipper bounced back, an itch crawling up his spine. They sat there, individually thinking out strategy plans.

"We have to ask him."

"Definitely, no more batting the bush."

They both dashed off to their rooms to grab their respective gear for whenever they confronted Bill, or any malevolent being. They both appeared back out, Mabel changed into more loose clothing and geared with charms, and Dipper likewise, but also two of the Journals. Mabel gave her brother a clipped smile and led them both out of the apartment and to Normans'.

* * *

><p><strong>I want to write more but im sO TIRED AND IM BEING FLIRTED WITH RN SO IM A TAD BUSY LOLOLOL<strong>

**aight**

**i just really like the idea that Mabel is a critical thinker about people's behavior and tendencies- she's the one who can tell when people are lying or hiding, which comes in handy because Dipper isn't quite as good, especially when he's been fooled into thinking theres a trust-based relationship.**

**dun dun dun**

**Normans gon take on Bill by himself, like a big boy**


	10. Chapter 10

Mabel and Dipper searched Norman's room frantically upon discovering it unlocked but empty. He wasn't there, and his room smelled... Off. Really, only Dipper noticed, but Norman's room smelled significantly different from when he'd been in there much earlier that day. He shuffled through papers on Norman's desk, growling to himself angrily.

"Why the hell does everything he owns have to be in Latin or... Greek or... What the hell even is this? Hieroglyphs?" Dipper exclaimed incredulously, squinting at a piece of paper that actually did look ancient and made of papyrus.

"Wonder why he has all these things. I understand that he probably sees ghosts, like, everywhere, but... There's a crud ton of charms underneath stuff? And it looks like he's sprinkled salt on the window sill and under the doorways?" Mabel said, equally as curious as she peered under the bathroom door. Dipper sighed, and wondered to himself why Norman was so paranoid. He mentioned that ghosts could possess him and haunt him, but how often did that actually happen? He slipped his hand farther back into Norman's desk and his hand brushed over what felt like another book. As he slid it out, he heard Mabel sigh deeply.

"Dipper, I think we should go start searching. The only stuff in here isn't in English or a sign of some serious paranoia issues." Dipper brushed pencil shavings off the cover, and waved Mabel over.

"Wait, look at this. This was way back in his desk." Dipper opened to the first page, Mabel appearing beside him and peering over his shoulder. " 'Property of Norman Babcock'. Mabel this is dated 5 years ago," he opened to the first page with writing and almost laughed," It's a diary I think?" Mabel squeezed Dipper's shoulder.

"Maybe we shouldn't read this, Dip. Like, going through his stuff makes me uncomfortable already. Let's just go find him." Dipper shook his head and frowned at her.

"No, this could help us understand more about whatever it is he can do. Yeah he's a medium, but he must have some sort of ability others don't for Bill to have suddenly been hell-bent on manipulating him. Just a few passages, okay?" Mabel seemed unsatisfied, but no longer protested. Dipper turned back to the page and began to read aloud.

" ' June 26th. Mom says I should start keeping tabs on all the extreme instances of paranormal activity in my room and around me. They're getting more violent. They used to greet me in the streets, now they're crawling through my windows at night. I think I'm going to go crazy with all their whispering in the dark. I need to get louder music on my iPod.' " Dipper exchanged a confused and worried look with Mabel. " ' June 30th. Started hearing that crazy guys voice again. Won't stop talking about his dead wife or whatever. I know it's nonsense, it's easier to block him out, it's just frequent and annoying. I kinda want to refer to this book as Aggie. She seems to be the only solace I have in my memories. ' 'July 15th. Aggie, can't you do something about this? I'm so exhausted, I don't want to help any more of them. Every time I finish solving some awful poltergeists issues, a kobold appears asking me to play with them. Starting to wish I hadn't helped Neil out with his dog.' ' August 21st. I keep having the same nightmare. A couple of kids asking me to follow them into the woods. I can't see their faces, I think they're my age though. One of them keeps telling me to find the hypotenuse. I think geometry is having an effect on my mental state again.' ' August 23rd. It's 12: 34 am and I woke up to laughter. Mom and Dad are dead asleep. Kourtney's home for the weekend, but she's out at Amanda's. It didn't sound like anyone I know.' " Dipper's voice grew quieter as he read, and when he turned the page he discovered a long paragraph. Mabel, who's chin was resting on his shoulder, looked at him with worry and then nodded to the book to keep reading.

" ' Who cares what day it is. It's happened again. Those kids. This time they're telling me to run. They're screaming at me, and I want them to shut up and leave me alone. It's raining now in the dream. The lightning lights their faces, but all I can notice is that it's a girl and a boy and they're drenched in blood. They won't move, won't come out of the shadows, and I try to approach them but I'm not moving either. It's raining and warm, but I remember ice forming on my skin and feeling cold. Aggie, tell me what's going on. Are they her- THE LAUGHTER I CA NN HEAR IT AGAIN, ITS IN TH E KITCHEN ITS CALLING ME LOUDLY WHY AM I SO SCARED GHOSTS DO THIS ALL THE TIME, I FEEL LIKE ITS SOMETHING WORSE L I KE A MONSTER-' " The pen suddenly jerks out of it's place and across the page. The writing continues, however, but it's scribbled and quick, " 'im hiding under the bed, its in my roo m. theres no footsteps but i can feel it. my feet are cold...-' " Another jerked line, " ' it has an eye.' " Dipper cuts off, his voice being swallowed by the heaviness in the room. Mabel takes her head off Dipper's shoulder, takes the book, shuts it and puts it on the desk, staring at it like it was bile. Dipper felt like he was swallowing some.

"Those kids... It was us wasn't it..." Mabel whispered quietly.

"Bill had known all along... This wasn't a new plan... Mabel. We need to find Norman, and fast." Dipper picked the book back up and led Mabel out of the dorm, wishing he could lock it, but he didn't have a key and there wasn't really time to go looking if Norman had a spare. They jogged down the hall, jumping down the steps two at a time, Mabel nearly jumping onto Dipper in her eagerness. The ran through the small lobby at the bottom of the stairs, and out the front door to the parking lot. Dipper handed Mabel the diary as he pulled his keys out of his pocket and unlocked the car, which he always parked as close to the door as possible, and since he'd been able to pretty much map when all the tenants would be parked he, he almost always was right in front of it. They got in, Mabel opening the diary while Dipper started the car and pulled out.

" 'November 22nd. I haven't heard or seen that thing in a while. It was bothering me all last month, but now it's practically vanished. I wonder if it's just another wanderer, but are wanderers even capable of doing the things it did, Aggie? I don't know, but it's unsettling. It kinda just feels like it's waiting for something to happen- a cue. I hope it never comes back. But it's strange, I can't seem to remember anything about it except that it did stuff that made me terrified. I can't specify, it's like my mind's been muddied up, like someone walked in without wiping their shoes. All I remember is being scared. Really really scared.' " Mabel sighed, flicking through the pages, skimming. "Nothing else is mentioned about Bill so far. I think it's safe to assume this thing he's talking about is actually Bill. That means Bill has planned this for years, and that he knew Norman and us would meet, but... How. Bill can't see the future- if he did his stupid plans wouldn't get stopped all the time." The duo sat in wondering silence, but were startled out it by a loud crack of thunder. Mabel peered out the window and gasped.

"What?" Dipper tried to peer upwards at the sky through the windshield, but he had to keep his eyes on the road.

"Oh my god. That does not look like a normal storm. Its huge and coming from behind those buildings over there- turn here!" Mabel pointed frantically at the road and to the corner where Dipper needed to turn. Dipper swung around the corner and sped up a bit, pushing over the speed limit, which was kinda pointless because almost as immediately as the began to drive next to the walled off park, he had to slam on his breaks. People were running out of the entrance, erratic and screaming. Dipper could see the storm clouds now, but it was like a touched down tornado. It stayed it place, spitting out fields of electricity, turning the sky so dark, the only light was from the lightning. Dipper skidded to a halt, trying his best to not be in the middle of the road, but all the people about made it difficult to do so without running someone over.

Mabel launched herself out of the car immediately as it stopped, Dipper yelling at her angrily to wait for him as he fumbled like an idiot with his buckle for a moment and nearly slamming the door on his fingers. He chased his twin through the thinning crowd of people, and into the park, following the tornado that seemed to be planted in a far corner of the park.

"Oh, do you think that's it?" Dipper said stupidly aloud, and he got a rather sarcastic and disappointed look from Mabel.

"I dunno, maybe we should stop and ask for directions like, 'Excuse me, but have you seen a boy with anti-gravity hair running around?' " Dipper rolled his eyes at Mabels' mockery, and instead grabbed her hand and dragged her in the right direction.

It was a short run, and when the got there, it was completely overwhelming. Not really because it was a twister trying to rip a tree out of the ground, but because it was deafening to be there. Screaming, almost, filled the air and made it impossible to think straight. Dipper caught himself shaking his head slightly numerous times like a dog hearing a whistle. Mabel seemed to be having the same problem, but all she had to do was pull her sweater up over her ears. Aforementioned tree seemed to be the center of the mess, electricity crackling through it, shaking it slightly.

"Norman!" Mabel cried,barely audible, but still something Dipper had thought about doing, but he was really trying to focus on not going deaf. The electricity suddenly transferred from the tree, the tornado of wind and lightning getting sucked down into the ground. It was somewhat silent for a moment before a small area of ground a ways away from the duo began to spit the same lightning. Then, like a neuralyzer, light exploded in Dipper and Mabel's vision, causing Dipper to stumble backwards and Mabel to yelp, covering her eyes with her sweater. When their vision had returned, the lightning now centered around a person.

A very familiar person.

In particular, a very furious looking Norman.

* * *

><p><strong>dadadadadadadadadadadAAAAAAA woo another chapter herp derp<strong>

**half of this was written at 1am so if some of it doesnt make sense, have mercy.**

**Apparently, I got nominated in the 1st Annual Gravity Falls Fan Fiction Awards for best crossover with a non-disney animation. Go vote for me by reviewing or PMing! Thank you guys so much for making my fic popular! u3u!**


	11. Chapter 11

_"Hey freakshow, how was your night Friday? Enjoy your prom?" Norman ignored Lucas' pencil tapping melodically against his back, and the whispers under the teachers' voice. He didn't want to look at the ass, let alone speak to him. The bruises on Norman's face and whole body made it hard to sit properly or comfortably, and reminded him of his reasons behind being exceptionally reclusive today. Usually, he made a snarky remark back, hissing through his teeth at Lucas, telling him to shut up or get another concussion like the one he got when Trey Anderson dropped a textbook on him on the stairs from the second floor. But he couldn't today, both because he didn't want to, and also because he couldn't. His throat was still swollen and his lip was still busted._

_"Not gonna speak today? Not even with your pretty little voice? I heard your new cover on YouTube." He purred like chainsaw. Norman tensed, but immediately un-tensed due to the pain from simply flexing his muscles. _

_"Shut up, Lucas." Salma said quietly from the seat next to him. The sandy blonde boy eyed Norman's friend with a look that could kill- well, it would if Salma wasn't well... Salma. Her eyes met his, and the harsh downturn motion of her lips made her even more menacing. She was so well-known for her irritated expressions, that it was a legend around the school, and a common phrase. Giving someone the 'Salma look' was equivalent to telling someone to jump into a vat of pus with your eyes. _

_"Take your own advice, terrorist." He hissed back. Salma just rolled her eyes and sighed._

_"I'm Indian, not Muslim, and that's a highly racist comment. Make another and I'll notify the teacher of both your current actions and the ones from Friday night. Or maybe even the police." Her voice remained level, and she quickly scrawled down her notes from the board, signaling she was leaving the conversation at that. Lucas leaned back in his chair, pursing his lips. Salma, despite her studious nature, had become the literal know-it-all of the school in the sense she knew everything about everybody. How, nobody was sure, but she just did._

_After class, Salma caught up with Norman who had evacuated that classroom as quickly as he could._

_"You know, you really should tell one of your omnipresent friends to haunt him or something. Hide his boxers on the flagpole, something very cliche and old school." She said tartly, flipping out her phone and texting someone._

_"I'm not interested in making others do my dirty work. If I decide one day to make him suffer, I'll do it on my own terms and suffer consequences on my own terms." He wheezed back. Salma shut her phone and stopped him, pulling him aside._

_"Yeah, but I'm not interested in having my friends harassed or beaten up on their prom night by a homophobic and racist idiot. Norman, you shouldn't even be in school right now." She said, her voice growing concern. "I promised Neil that I wouldn't let people get you down when he moved, and you make it really hard when you have the means to defend yourself and you refuse to use them." _

_"Salma, what good would it do? To hurt people who hurt you?" Norman replied hoarsely, not overly fond of when she became motherly like this. Her face turned pink and she huffed._

_"Norman Babcock, you say that every single time you get hurt. What good would it do? I'll tell you what good it would do. It would do you good, give you empowerment you need. Maybe it's selfish or mean at times, but as much as it'd be nice to get through life without having to punch a few jerks or two, it isn't possible. I've studied psychology and __sociology, and it is always more beneficial in both the wild and in human situations to hit back when you're hit. Doing nothing will not protect you." She lectured and the period bell rang. She sighed, rubbing the bridge of her nose. "At least request to go home after 4th hour, okay?" _

_Norman sat in silence, giving her a brief nod before letting her walk off to class. He let out a short laugh._

_"You forgot to carry the six, again. Norman, no wonder you suck at Algebra II, you keep forgetting the basics." Salma said coldly, leaning over the short brick wall that lined the steps in front of the school and scrutinizing Norman's homework._

_"Ehh... Whatever, fix it for me then, like you always do." He replied back, equally agitated. She eyed him, pursing her lips._

_"What's wrong with you. You're being such a... Dirty sock today."_

_"Just... Stuff. I guess," He sighed," Sorry." She shrugged and corrected the math problem on the paper for him._

_"Well well well, still having trouble in Math?" Norman wanted to crawl into a hole the second Lucas' voice infiltrated his space. He didn't even look up from picking at the dirt under his nails._

_"Screw off, golf head." Norman mumbled. He laughed and patted Norman on the shoulder._

_"Now now, I haven't even said anything mean yet and you're already upset?" Norman wanted to spit on his shoes, kick him in the shins, do whatever it took to get him a thousand miles out of his personal space._

_"As if you're any better, Jules." Salma piped in, sliding the paper in between Norman and Lucas and giving her death glare. The other boy scowled and turned on her.  
><em>

_"You think you can just glare at whoever you want and get your way, don't you, Salami," Her eye twitched at the nickname but she remained cool even when he grabbed her wrist, "And that you scare everyone with your freakish tone."_

_"Don't fucking touch her." Norman snarled, but didn't want to touch this slimy snake if he didn't have to. Lucas looked at him and spat in his face._

_"Shut up, freak show, and get in the fucking ground already where your other friends are." _

_That was it. Norman wiped the lugie slowly off his cheek, flicking it onto the ground. He stared at his hand, and realized he'd started shaking. He was so angry. Every fibre of his being felt like wire and electrocuted. His eyes slowly moved from his hand to Lucas, who's smug expression quickly turned to shock._

_"What the... How the hell are you doing that?" Salma even took on a rare look of surprise._

_"Norman?"_

_"Holy shit, what the hell?" Lucas let go of Salma stepping backwards. Norman wasn't sure what he was referring to, but he felt like he could burst into flames right in that moment. He'd only felt this angry when Neil didn't tell him until it was his last day that he was going to live with his grandparents. He clenched his hands into fists and took a step towards Lucas, who immediately stumbled back a few more feet._

_"Holy shit, don't come near me, stop doing that with your eyes!" By this time, other students in the front were staring and also in shock._

_"Norman!" Salma hissed, grabbing his sleeve. "Stop it, it's okay-" He knocked her hand away and lunged at Lucas, knocking them both down the stairs and undoubtedly slamming Lucas' head into the concrete. The some of the other students screamed and ran off, a few standing frozen in fear._

_"Gedda... Fuck offa me!" Lucas sputtered, blood dripping from his mouth. He must've just had a concussion, Norman thought; good. Norman tried to clasp his hands around Lucas' neck, but the boy was stronger than him and managed to push him off enough to get out from underneath him and stand up and stagger backwards into the grass before falling down again and coughing. Norman got up and Salma's arms wrapped around him and pulled him back._

_"Norman Babcock, stop it! When I told you to confront him, I didn't mean throw him down the stairs and give him a concussion!" Norman wasn't listening, static filled his hearing and he felt the burning sensation growing from just looking at Lucas. Years of being poked in the back, pushed into trashcans, assaulted by water balloons, hateful notes in his locker, pushing around Neil desecrating the grave yard, beating Norman up, made it awfully hard for Norman to find any sympathy in his heart for Lucas. Salma screamed and let him go, stepping back. Norman glanced back and was surprised to see her patting fire out of her shirt._

_"Salma?" He said quietly, but his voice was altered, deeper, hoarser, drier._

_"Look at you, Norman! You're... On fire! You need to calm down!" She said, exasperated. Norman looked down at himself and saw that he was in fact... Glowing? He stepped onto the grass and leaned in to look in the reflection in the windows. Lucas whimpered and scooted away. Norman breathed in sharply._

_He wasn't on fire. He was spurting small bursts of electricity. His eyes were flashing. He looked like Aggie._

* * *

><p><strong>HAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAA FLASHBACK<strong>

**what you thought I was just gonna WRITE what happens next?! What fun would THAT be if I could told you everything in chronological order?!**

**fwaahhahahahhaa**

**im so sick rn omg my ears and face hurt**


	12. Chapter 12

_"Hello, kids." _Norman, no, _Bill _hissed. It was Norman alright- not many guys had Norman's naturally up-turned faux hawk- but Bill's voice filled his mouth instead of Norman's usual soft, hoarse one. Dipper and Mabel exchanged knowing glances, and Dipper reached for the Journal and Mabel her old grappling hook. _"Been a while, hasn't it? How have you been?" _

"Shut up Bill, Norman has nothing to do with our conflict. Why are you using him?" Dipper challenged.

_"Oh Dipper, so quick to begin the questions. Can't we just duke it out and ask questions afterwards for once?" _Bill sighed with fake disappointment, Norman landing on the ground gently, electricity still sparking off him like an open wire.

"Absolutely not- not while you're using him." Mabel interjected. Bill scoffed, shaking his head.

_"Why do you care? Your petty admiration for him doesn't exactly justify your sudden loyalty to him. He's just a band member to you, Mabel, and just cause he spent a day or two with you doesn't mean anything." _Bill sneered. Mabel's face dropped, and her confidence wavered. He was right- did she only care because she idolized him?

"Can it Bill! Regardless of our reason, we're not going to let you use him. Why him, anyways, if he doesn't really mean anything to us?" Dipper countered, glancing at Mabel with worry. Bill laughed, and the electricity pulsed.

_"Look at him. Not even he truly grasps his power," _He clenched his fists, and a claw of lightning stuck out from him and at Dipper, missing by only a few inches, _"He's not just a medium. He has way more psychic abilities than he should- he's a part of a very ancient lineage of spiritual vassals that bridge the supernatural and mundane world. He could've spent his whole life not tapping into any of his powers, but after looking into his memories a bit, he had partially at one point. This isn't even the best he can do." _Bill replied, voice filled with awe and eagerness. Dipper had barely flinched at the lightning strike, but now he was looking around more warily.

What did he mean- Norman could do more than this? He was already created a storm and spitting like a live wire.

"If he's so powerful, how do you know you can control him?" Mabel taunted, a little bit curious herself. Bill smirked and ground his teeth in slight agitation.

_"He is powerful- but gullible. He's angry with you, you know. I told him about your supernatural hunting, Dipper. He has a very deeply rooted sense of," _Bill breathed in sharply and spat out the next word,_" Compassion... For supernatural things. He knows you hunt and kill." _Dipper scoffed indignantly.

"I don't kill supernatural things! I mean, there was that one elf, but it was trying to eat Mabel!" Dipper confessed. "Whatever, it doesn't matter- Norman wouldn't let you hurt anybody!"

Bill laughed, shaking his head. _'Oh my dear dear Pines children, he's not so against the idea! But that's beside the idea- you're doing that distracting thing again! Getting me to talk to stall!' _He grinned maliciously, flexing his hands and the lightning exploded. Tendrils of white energy lashed out, reaching like starving snakes for the twins. Mabel's arm latched around Dipper and he suddenly felt he was being pulled back quicker than Mabel should have been able to run. When his feet left the ground and a tree branch knocked him in the head, he realized she had used her grappling hook to get them away- which was good since the ground where they had previously been was smoking and black now.

_'You can run, but I'll find you~' _Bill called playfully, and after adjusting his footing on the branch he and Mabel were perched on (and making sure they weren't about to break it), he pulled on her arm and began to quickly scale back down the tree. When his feet touched the grass, another streak of lightning ripped through the air next to his ear. It was intolerably loud- like a jet-engine version of a whip-crack. He could smell burnt hair, but he didn't look at Bill, just checked to see his sister drop down safely from another branch and grab her wrist, bursting into a sprint back in the direction of the car. Another sounding crack of lightning and a yelp from Mabel pushed him to run faster. They finally found the concrete path that snaked through the park, following it back to the front entrance and dashing out onto the now mostly empty street.

"You know..." Mabel wheezed next to him," We should stop leaving... our things... In the car..."

Dipper made his way to the car, kicking the trunk open after unlocking it, and pulling out a belt with bottles attached to it. He tossed it to Mabel and she fastened it around her waist, pulling off a bottle and popping it open. He turned back to the trunk, pulling out an old shoe box and a large wrapped piece of sage. He turned to Mabel, who was dabbing the contents of on of the bottles behind her ears.

"Mabel you don't need to do that."

"Shush, let's go." She scolded, kicking him lightly in the leg and turning to sprint off down the street. Dipper glanced at the entrance of the park just long enough to see Bill round the corner leisurely, the trees near the entrance began to brown and wilt. He ran after Mabel, opening the shoe box a bit and reaching inside and pulling out a box of matches.

_'Kids, c'mon, don't make this more difficult than it needs to be!' _Bill called after them, and though Dipper knew he was way behind him, Bill sounded very very close. He yelled at Mabel to go faster, and she popped off another two bottles from her belt, slowing down enough to turn and pelt one at Bill. This caught him off guard and it shattered against his leg, the clear liquid inside splattering all over him. As Dipper turned the corner, he heard a loud screech, and the earth shook beneath his feet.

"We need to find a parking garage- and FAST." Dipper yelled to Mabel.

Norman sat underneath the burnt tree, legs hugged against his chest and chest resting on his knee. The amount of guilt he felt was indescribable, and even though he was there the whole time Bill and the twins were, he couldn't do anything to help. He didn't even have a place to be angry at Bill- he had won fair in square in a match of mind powers; or well whatever the hell happened. He'd fucked up thinking he could control his own body and mind enough to out-mind a goddamn _mind_ demon. He sighed, holding up his hand and staring through it at the somewhat translucent image of grass behind it.

"I'm such an idiot... I can't even control my own mind..." He whispered quietly.

"Well, he's a crafty one ain't he."

Norman's head shot up and he met eyes with a rather older looking gentleman spirit. He blinked at him owlishly.

"Um... Excuse me?"

"Bill. I don't blame ya' for not bein' able to keep it together." The man sighed, floating over and taking a place next to Norman on the ground. He leaned back and let out a aching groan. "Still too old for this stuff..." He mumbled to himself. Norman was astonished.

"You know Bill?" He asked in awe.

"Oh yeah. Knew 'im when I was alive- which wasn't too long ago." He laughed emptily.

"What- how? Did he kill you?"

"No no... Natural causes for me. Just got too old, y'know?" He gave Norman a reassuring smile.

"Oh... That's just sadder." Norman frowned. The man laughed, sitting back upright.

"You know those kids?" He asked, his tone unreadable.

"Kinda... I ran into the girl the other day. A lot has happened in the past few days- especially with them around. And my life is already pretty weird." Norman explained.

"Yeah," The man laughed," They do that. Trouble follows those two- though it's partially my fault." He said sadly.

"Oh... You knew them too?"

"Yes." It was only one word, but it was such a... Sad word. The way his eyes seemed to look at nothing and his lips became taut; he felt like there was a lot behind it.

They stayed quiet for a few moments before the man spoke up again.

"What's yer name, kid?"

"Ah, Norman. Norman Babcock." He replied, and was surprised to see a quick flash of recognition in his eyes.

"Babcock... So that's why Bill was after ya'." He shook his head. "Look, I'm gonna ask somethin' of you that's totally unfair." Norman furrowed his brows in confusion.

"What?"

"Well... Those kids... I know ya' don't know 'em well, and that they're probably done ya' more harm than good, but... If you could keep fightin' Bill for 'em... Just, go after 'im and try and get yourself back again- for their sake- then... Well, I don't know, but I'd be able to rest at ease for a lil' while." The man said slowly, rubbing the back of his hand absent-mindedly.

"You mean... help you cross over?" Norman asked hopefully.

"Nah... I won't be doin' that for a while now... I just am scared for 'em- Bill really does have it out for those two, and I know they can do well on their own, but this is something I don't think they can do on their own." He laughed softly, shaking his head again. Norman took a moment to think and analyze the man. He was definitely older, maybe in his 70's or so. He had a larger nose in an almost comical way, but his eyes were drooped and exhausted looking in a a way that almost seemed like they were dripping down his face. The man turned and looked back at Norman, waiting for a response, and Norman bit his lip.

"I guess," He began slowly," I guess I could give it another shot..." He offered, smiling. The man sighed in relief, nodding.

"Thanks kid."

"No problem." Norman said, standing up and rubbing his neck as the man stood up with him. "I should probably get going then."

"Yeah, before Mabel runs out of holy water." He laughed and Norman nodded. He went to turn and go find wherever Bill and the twins might be but a firm hand grabbed his arm and he turned back curiously.

"One other thing, kid..."

"Yeah?"

"Could you tell Dip it ain't his fault? Everything. That he doesn't need to feel bad and that he and Mabel will be just fine on their own?" Norman stared at the man before he frowned.

"Yes but... Could I ask your name?" The man paused for a moment before letting Norman go and straightening his suit jacket.

"Stanford."

* * *

><p><strong>You didn't think I FORGOT did you? PFFT<strong>


	13. Chapter 13

One of the things Norman had to always explain to people was that ghosts didn't really float. Maybe the hovered an inch off the ground, or when the jumped it was as though they were on the moon, but for whatever reason (probably some complicated science-y thing), the laws of gravity still applied somewhat to them. This very fact made Norman extremely frustrated. While he couldn't feel tired or run out of breath, he was stuck to the ground when it would've been much easier if he could fly.

Bill's giant storm cloud was a pretty easy thing to track, though, which seemed to be something Norman was sure the demon hadn't kept in mind. Nevertheless, Norman ran as fast as he could after Bill, hoping that he would get there in time. Also hoping that he could come up with a plan on the way.

* * *

><p>Dipper and Mabel- finally- veered off into a mostly empty parking garage. They'd managed to swerve between buildings and alleyways enough to have lost Bill. Dipper, however, knew this wouldn't last, so he let Mabel take a breather and lean against a pillar while he got to work. His lungs burned and legs ached, but he had to keep moving in order to get ready on time. He set down his shoebox, opening it a pull out a box of chalk pieces. He slipped out a fresh one and found a wide patch of dry concrete. With practiced speed, he began outlining a large six-foot circle. Mabel came over, still mostly out of breath, but also able to recognize the necessity of speed. She popped another bottle off her belt, this one with white powder inside. She pulled out any bobby pins in her hair and tossed a puff of the stuff over her, almost showering in it. As Dipper kneeled, drawing lines in the ground, she came and flicked off his hat, throwing a puff onto his head as well. She murmured a few words under her breath and earned and frown from her brother.<p>

* * *

><p>Norman followed Bill, finding him while he was angrily speeding in between buildings.<p>

"Must've lost 'em, huh..." Norman laughed to himself. He tried to think where they would have gone- definitely not their apartment, they weren't stupid. Dipper was tactful, he'd need a wide space, but confined enough that if anyone- Bill- tried to have a big show or use too much power, there wouldn't be quite enough space. Perhaps and empty building? Norman shook the idea; it would be too difficult to pick out a TRULY empty building out of all of these... A parking lot, would be too open, so maybe a parking garage?

Unable to pick a better idea, he ran off to try and find the nearest parking garage.

* * *

><p>Dipper stood up, knees cracking from squatting for so long. He looked at his good work- a demon trap- and pocketed the chalk piece, rubbing his hands off on his shirt. Mabel appeared beside him and handed him a small water-gun.<p>

"Mabel, when did you grab these?" Dipper wondered.

"A true party-goer- or monster hunter- always keeps a few water-guns on them!"

_"How cute."_

As they spun around, a ball of energy slammed into both of them, sending them flying backwards onto the ground. Dipper's head cracked against the ground, but Mabel was faster than her brother, landing on her elbows instead of her head. She bit back tears as her skin ripped against the ground, but her really worry was to her brother who was just knocked out. He groaned, so he'd (probably) be up again soon, but it was still a matter if that would be soon enough. Mabel shot to her feet, facing Bill, who had landed and was again spitting large tendrils of lightning.

"I know I am, but what are you?" Mabel sneered, reaching for another bottle.

_"It's been years and your come-backs are just as air-headed and stupid as before. Just like you~"_ Bill smiled, another ball of energy forming in the hand that wasn't his. Mabel flinched, but refused to let the comment get to her.

"Whatever, monocle monster! Let's dance- or your bad leg still burning? Looks like holy water still hurts you in that body." Mabel gestured with a grin to the still smoking shin of Bill's leg. He scowled and raised his arm to throw his energy ball, and Mabel raised her bottle. However, Bill's attention shifted from Mabel to something else- something she couldn't see, and the momentary lag was just enough to pelt the glass right at Bill's head. It shattered, the paste inside splattering onto him earning another deafening screech echoing in the garage. The energy ball dissipated and he clutched his burning face, screaming.

"Mabel!" She spun around at the sound of her brother, smiling widely as he stumbled to his feet.

"Dip dop! You're okay!" She said happily, going to hug her brother, but he stopped her.

"I'm not Dipper- it's Norman- look I can't really explain this to you right now, but Dipper is okay... His head fucking hurts though, what did her do, slam a car door on it?" He groaned, rubbing the back of his head. Mabel froze and stared at him confused.

"Nor... Man?" She began to question, but Norman grabbed her and pulled her towards him.

"Look out!"

A bright ball of electric energy just missed Mabel, exploding into the ground. They turned their attention to Bill, whose eyes were blood red with anger and literal blood dripped from his eyes. Norman internally noted how much it was going to suck getting his body back.

_"So- stealing his body will accomplish **what** exactly?"_ Bill snarled, furious and preparing the attack again, but Norman just smirked.

"I asked myself that when you took mine- but now I get it! I'm powerful, huh?" Norman laughed," No wonder you needed it! That little triangle body of yours wasn't go to get you anywhere really." Bill returned Norman's grin, but more coldly.

_"Save it, Babcock, you won't be able to talk your way out of this one."_ Bill threw a ball of energy at him again, and Mabel, who was still holding onto Norman (technically Dipper? All this body switching was confusing her!), buried her head into his shoulder and braced herself for impact. Nothing. Silence held for a few moments, exception being the crackling of energy from Bill. She looked up again and was immediately shocked. Norman had held out his own hand, stopping and holding the mass of energy. Granted, effort showed in his face, but a light yellow ring glowed through Dipper's normally brown eyes.

Bill's eyes were wide and he was also frozen in shock.

_"But... How?! You don't have your body?! You shouldn't be able to use any of your powers!"_

Norman slipped his arm away from Mabel and lowered his hand.

"You don't have the slightest clue how my abilities work- you should brush up on your knowledge on meat-sacks. All this weird storming stuff is just you, Bill. You don't have any of my abilities. Did you really think by just taking my physical form that my spiritual and mental abilities would just stay with it?" Norman scoffed in amusement.

_"I... You fucking... You tricked me!"_

Norman's grin grew and he first the first time in quite a while, felt very very smug.

"I guess I did, Bill! Isn't that funny, you lost a mind-game to a human. Must really us-" Norman's head slammed again into concrete, and when he tried to open his eyes, his vision was blotchy and uneven. He could hear the blood in his ears, but not much beyond that, but Bill's voice cut through the muffled noise like a blade.

_"You did **nothing**, you vile, disgusting, mutant bastard!"_ Hands wrapped around Norman's neck and his already throbbing pulse pushed harder against the pressure, along with his lungs. He could just barely hear Mabel screaming over the sound. "You will die here, along with that pathetic Pines boy, and I will shred your souls into a million pieces, but not before I slaughter all of this town and your families right before you." Bill's voice had deepened and multiplied, seeming to fill every inch of space surrounding Norman. Through the pain and blackening vision, Norman managed to choke out.

"Ma- bel..."

This seemed to be all the signal she needed, because instantly the pressure on his neck was lifted and after a few moments of regaining most of his vision and breath, he saw Mabel practically wrestling with Bill. Norman only had a moment to bask in awe at her strength. What had seemed before to be that she was chubbier, was really just that she was muscular. He also quietly berated himself for any thoughts he might've had before that Mabel was not capable of physical conflict, because she was literally beating the shit out of Bill.

Norman turned to Dipper's ghost, who for the last five minutes had been screaming angrily and confusedly at Norman.

"Dipper... Quick, push my out of your body..." Norman wheezed, sitting up.

"I don't... Norman I don't fucking know how to do that?! I've never exactly took a body before- unlike you apparently- what the fuck?!"

"Dipper just fucking shut UP and get in here before Bill starts overpowering Mabel!" Norman replied hoarsely, watching as Bill got a few slugs in at Mabel's jaw.

Reluctantly, Dipper merged back into his own body, and Norman allowed him to reclaim it. Letting no second go to waste, Norman jumped out of Dipper's body, immediately scrambling over to his own. He phased through Mabel, and slipped back into his body. Bill had no time to react or protest and he was thrown out of Norman's body, landing in the demon trap Dipper had drawn earlier.

"Mabel!" Norman now had to stop Mabel's vicious punches at his face, putting up his hands and yelling at her. "Mabel, for god's sake, stop it! I'm back!" Mabel halted, hearing Norman's voice again, and let out a sigh of relief when Norman lowered his arms and his eyes were normal again. Of course, aside from the blood rimming his eyes and all over his face.

_"YOU -"_ Bill broke off into some language that just sounded like white noise to Norman and the twins, making their already sensitive ears throb. Dipper managed to roll over and reach the now knocked over contents of the shoe box, grabbing a small book and flipping it open.

"Triangulum, entangulum; meteforis dominus ventium; meteforis venetisarium!" Dipper choked out, and a bright blue flame engulfed Bill and he screamed as he burnt away and disappeared.

The three of them sat in silence, staring at the space where Bill had once been. Everything had happened so fast, and Norman was beginning to really feel the effects of posession (and physical abuse) on his body.

"We... Did it." Mabel whispered.

"Oh god, everything hurts." Dipper groaned, letting his forehead rest on the ground.

"You hurt? My eyes are bleeding." Norman replied, his voice gravelly.

"Shut up you two, this isn't a competition." Mabel scolded.

The were quiet again and then Dipper began to laugh, and Mabel began to laugh, and eventually they were all laughing and crying. Mabel hugged Norman and kissed his forehead, and Norman didn't even care. He was in a lot of pain and it was nice to just have her holding him and everything be okay. Dipper appeared next to them, collapsing on the ground.

"That... Was fun, huh?" Dipper said breathlessly.

"Y-yeah..."

"We should call an ambulance."

* * *

><p><strong>asdghjklslakmjfhbiewnkjdasjiuwqe i dont even know if half of this makes sense. I wanted to just burn through this and get it done so you guys didn't have to wait any longer. 2k words. hhhhhhhhhhhhhhh<strong>

**welp i tried. thats what matters.**


	14. Chapter 14

Norman and the twins sat in a circle around the now emptied box Dipper had brought, catching their breaths and massaging aching arms and necks. Dipper had already called and ambulance and would probably be there soon, so now they were just coming up with a story.

"Maybe they would believe we all got into a fist fight! Over um… Over… Dipper believes he's the anti-christ and started to try and summon satan!" Mabel suggested and Norman busted out in laughter while Dipper turned pink with embarrassment.

"Mabel! No way! I am not pretending to be crazy again!" Dipper hit Norman on the shoulder for laughing, earning a pained gasp in return. Norman gave a stink eye to the hatted man but shook his head at Mabel anyways.

"He's right, maybe we should just lie and say we don't remember? Better and more believable than any crazy thing we can come up with. Besides, we all did hit our heads at one point, so…" He offered and the twins both nodded in agreement. A bzz from Dipper's pocket gained everyone's attention and pulling it out with a confused look, Dipper answered the ringing phone.

"Hello, Dipper Pines speaking." He announced formally, and both Mabel and Norman laughed quietly. However, their grins faded as Dipper's face fell.

"Yes… I am?..."

"What…"

"No…"

"Wh-what time…"

"You… I… Okay… Th-thank you…"

"Y-You… You too…"

Dipper ended the call, face pale and now shaking as tears welled in his eyes. Mabel and Norman looked from each other to Dipper with frightened expressions.

"Dipper, is everythi-"

"He's dead."

Norman cocked an eyebrow in confusion, but Mabel's face twisted into confused pain.

"Wh-what… Dipper, you're... He... " She barely whispered. Dipper's voice barely wavered though his eyes began to drip profusely.

"Grunkle Stan died."

Norman wasn't sure what exactly happened, but when the ambulance did arrive, the twins sat in painful silence, holding eachother and refusing to let the EMT's tend to them. Norman had to explain what happened (or well, what didn't) and allowed his head and wounds to be wrapped. He didn't pry, as the two seemed to be locked in some eerie trance of their own world, eyes wide and glassy, crying silently. He didn't know what to do or how to comfort them, and when they arrived at the hospital and Dipper immediately ran away from the EMT's with Mabel in tow, he let them go. He explained he wasn't sure what happened to the nurses, but someone they knew died and they got the call before the ambulance came. Norman was escorted to a separate room, and was denied any further information on the twins after her accidentally revealed he wasn't a family member.

It wasn't until late that Norman was released with a green card. He immediately went to the front desk, asking about the twins.

"I need to know where the um… The two twins who came up earlier today, all beaten up? Pines, and they went to go see someone? Have they come back yet?" He asked the tired looking desk clerk.

"Not yet, dear. Would you like to know where they are? Are you family?" She asked, looking at Norman from over her pink glasses.

"Yeah, I'm their cousin." He lied, but the woman didn't press, just typed a few things into her desktop before turning to Norman and handing him a slip of paper.

"Room 157C. Third floor, just ask which one when you get up there." Norman nodded a thanks and scurried off.

He was frozen in the doorway, surprised and heartbroken. Mabel was thrown over the body under the sheet, sobbing, while Dipper stood at the end of the bed, eyes wide and blood-shot. A nurse, who looked a little impatient, stood in the corner, quietly watching.

"Dipper…" Norman said quietly, and the man's head spun to Norman, eyes wild with rage.

"YOU! THIS IS A-ALL YOUR F-FUCKING FAULT! IF Y-YOU HADN'T F-FUCKING NEEDED YOUR A-ASS TO BE SAVED STAN W-WOULDN'T BE DEAD!" Dipper screamed, storming up to Norman, who turned red with embarrassment and guilt.

"Wh-what… Dipper, I…"

"NO- GET OUT, GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE, YOU AREN'T NEEDED! FUCK OF-" Dipper shoved Norman out of the doorway, pulling back a hand to slap Norman, but Mabel got there first.

Both men stared at the girl who hung her head, gripping Dipper's arm with white knuckles.

"Dipper… Please don't… Don't blame him… He didn't know…" Mabel whispered hoarsely. Norman was stiff with shock and confusion, and felt his heart shatter even more when Mabel raised her head and her eyes shone with tears. "Come in Norman… It's okay…" She said, letting go out Dipper's hand and taking Norman's more softly, leading him back in, while Dipper turned away, arms folded and shoulders stiff. Mabel led him to the bedside, letting go of Norman's hand.

"Who…?" Norman asked quietly.

"Our great uncle. We'd spent summer after summer with him. He's the reason we're supernatural hunters… He was very old, though. We knew this was coming, we just… We just didn't know when…" She sniffled, rubbing at her eyes. The back of Norman's mind itched and he hesitantly reached for the top of the sheet covering the body.

"May I?..." Norman asked, to nobody in the room in particular. Mabel mumbled a yes, and Norman very slowly pulled the sheet down.

He let out a sharp gasp and stepped back a bit, both twins turning to him in mild surprise and confusion.

"Wh-what?"

"I… He… Stanford… Stanford…" Norman rubbed his neck and let out a soft sigh of mixed emotions. The twins looked between each other, and Dipper walked closer.

"What? What is it?" Dipper pressed.

"Well… I wasn't going to give chase… I was going to let you guys deal with Bill on your own, but… He… I met your great uncle while I was in limbo." He explained slowly, and Mabel looked like she was going to cry again.

"Oh, Stan…" She choked, covering her face and shaking.

"And… He asked me to go after you guys, to try again. He asked me to help you two out, even though I was upset." He awkwardly finished as Mabel turned to her brother and hugged him, crying. Dipper was obviously holding back tears, and his lip quivered. Norman looked him in the eyes and the mixed emotions of anger, relief, and fear shone back at him.

"And he also said… Dipper. He said, um. 'Tell Dip it ain't his fault. Everything. That he and Mabel will do just fine." And Dipper broke, he hiccupped and buried his face into Mabel's hair, both of them sobbing.

While Norman was glad he could tell them, now he felt awkward and guilty for making them cry. He wondered if he should've given them space and told them later, but Dipper looked up again at Norman, and though his face was wet and red, he managed a small smile at Norman.

"Th-thank you…" He choked and Norman smiled back shyly, shoving his hands in his pockets and looking back to Stan's body. He internally questioned when seeing dead bodies had stopped freaking him out.

_**THE END**_

**HAHAHA just kidding, sorry for sUCH A FUCKING LATE CHAPTER- just like… life happened. I still got a bit more up my sleeve and most likely a sequel fic! :) thanks for being so patient guys anhdbzjsfdk**


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